Question

If a baker making chocolate chip cookies accidentally misreads a recipe and adds something extra, forgets to add something, or adds the wrong ingredient, what can happen to the cookies?Explain how this analogy can be used to describe a mutation.

Answer 1

See Explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

Genetic mutation refers to the alteration of the sequence of bases in the gene of an organism. Recall that the gene contains sensitive information about the characteristics of an organism.

There are three types of genetic mutation which includes; base substitutions, deletions and insertions.

Using the analogy of the baker stated in the question, if he forgets to add something, then a part of the recipe has been deleted. This is analogous to the omission or deletion of a base in the sequence leading to mutation.

An additional or extra ingredient may be added to the recipe. This is analogous to insertion of a new base into the sequence leading to mutation.

If the baker adds a wrong ingredient instead of what he is supposed to add, this is analogous to substitution of a base by another leading to mutation.

In each of these cases, the taste of the cookies is marred. The baker can never produce the same taste of cookies exactly as described by the recipe book. This means that insertions, deletions and substitution of bases produce a new genetic code that is different from the original genetic code. This is referred to as genetic mutation.