221k views
3 votes
What will happen if a virus infects a cell and randomly inserts many short segments of DNA containing a stop codon throughout an organism's chromosomes?

1) The organism will die
2) The organism will become immune to the virus
3) The organism will develop new traits
4) The organism will replicate its DNA faster

User LEO CHEN
by
7.7k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

Random insertion of DNA containing stop codons by a virus into an organism's chromosomes can disrupt protein synthesis, leading to truncated, nonfunctional proteins and potentially cell death.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a virus infects a cell and randomly inserts many short segments of DNA containing a stop codon throughout an organism's chromosomes, it could lead to widespread disruptions in the organism's normal cellular processes. As stop codons signal the end of protein synthesis, their random insertion would likely result in truncated proteins, which could be nonfunctional or harmful.

This situation could interfere with vital cellular functions and potentially lead to cell death. The idea that such an event would make the organism immune to the virus or cause it to develop new traits is less likely, as these outcomes would require specific rather than random changes to the genome. Furthermore, this insertion would not cause the organism's DNA to replicate faster.

Sometimes, however, a mutation from a virus can increase the likelihood of organism survival but this is a rare occurrence. Moreover, viral infections often involve stages of viral replication and release, which may lead to cell damage or death rather than new beneficial traits. In summary, the introduction of multiple-stop codons into an organism's DNA can be highly detrimental.

User Jonathan Chang
by
8.4k points