Question

What are possible structural and environmental changes that can occur to a nucleic acid? a) Substitution mutations and temperature changes. b) Deletion mutations and pH variations. c) Insertion mutations and radiation exposure. d) Duplication mutations and light exposure.

Answer 1

Possible structural changes to nucleic acids include substitution and duplication mutations, while environmental changes include temperature changes, radiation exposure, and light exposure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Nucleic acid can undergo various structural and environmental changes. One possible structural change is substitution mutation, where one base is replaced by another in the DNA sequence. This can result in a change in the amino acid sequence of a protein. Another possible structural change is duplication mutation, where one or more nucleotides are duplicated, causing a repetition of certain sequences in the DNA.

Environmental changes can also affect nucleic acids. For example, temperature changes can denature the DNA, disrupting its structure and function. Another environmental change is radiation exposure, which can cause breaks in the DNA strands and lead to mutations. Additionally, light exposure can lead to the formation of thymine dimers, which can distort the DNA helix.