Question

A scientist creates fruit fly larvae with a mutation that eliminates the exonuclease function of DNA pol. Which prediction about the mutational load in the adult fruit flies is most likely to be correct?

a) The mutational load will decrease due to error correction.
b) The mutational load will remain the same.
c) The mutational load will increase due to accumulated errors.
d) The mutational load will have no impact on the flies.

Answer 1

The mutational load in the adult fruit flies with a mutation that eliminates the exonuclease function of DNA pol III is likely to increase due to accumulated errors.d) The mutational load will have no impact on the flies.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct prediction about the mutational load in the adult fruit flies with a mutation that eliminates the exonuclease function of DNA pol III is that the mutational load will increase due to accumulated errors.

The exonuclease function of DNA pol III is responsible for proofreading and removing any errors that occur during DNA replication. Without this function, errors in DNA replication will accumulate over time, leading to an increased mutational load in the adult fruit flies.

For example, in the absence of exonuclease function, mismatched nucleotides may not be corrected, resulting in permanent DNA mutations that can affect the function of genes and lead to various phenotypic changes in the adult fruit flies.