Question

A scientist thlisks that a certain chemical is a mutagen She exposes plant cells to a large amount of this chemical in

the laboratory
Which statement best provides evidence that the substance is a mutagen?
The cells die within hours of being exposed to the chemical.
The cells grow more quickly than those that were not exposed to the chemical.
The cells change after being exposed to the chemical and this change is passed to the next generation of cells.
The cells continue to divide at the same rate as before they were exposed to the chemical​

Answer 1

The cells die within hours of being exposed to the chemical.

Explanation:

Mutagenesis is a technique widely used in molecular biology laboratories in order to analyze gene function by reverse genetics. The mutagenic activity of certain compounds induces loss of function mutations in specific genes associated with phenotypic traits. In consequence, the use of mutagens may lead to the inactivation of proteins by gene mutations that after sequencing can be associated to particular phenotypes. The effects of both induced and natural mutations are generally deleterious, thereby it is expected that the use of these mutagenic agents in high concentrations causes cell death.