Final answer:
Exposure to mustard gas can cause serious deformities in developing embryos because guanine is a key component of DNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exposure to mustard gas can cause serious deformities in developing embryos because guanine is a key component of DNA. Guanine is one of the four nitrogenous bases found in DNA, and it pairs with cytosine through hydrogen bonds. When guanine is removed from the DNA strand, it disrupts the normal structure and function of DNA, leading to developmental abnormalities in embryos. For developing embryos, exposure to mustard gas can cause serious deformities because guanine: (1) stores the building blocks of proteins (2) supports the structure of ribosomes (3) produces energy for genetic transfer (4) is part of the genetic code