Answer:
D. It interferes with base pairing which decreases the error rate during DNA replication
Step-by-step explanation:
A mutagen is a substance or agent that can cause mutations in an organism's DNA. Mutations are changes in the genetic material of an organism and can occur spontaneously, but mutagens can increase the frequency of mutations.
One way that a mutagen can cause mutations is by interfering with the base pairing of the DNA molecule. During DNA replication, the two strands of the DNA molecule separate, and new complementary strands are synthesized based on the original strands. The base pairing between the complementary nitrogenous bases (adenine and thymine, or cytosine and guanine) helps ensure the accuracy of the replication process.
If a mutagen interferes with the base pairing, it can cause errors to occur during replication. These errors can lead to mutations, as the new DNA strand will not match the original strand as it should. This can result in changes in the genetic information of the organism, potentially leading to a variety of effects, including the development of genetic disorders or the expression of different traits.