Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Secondary Integrated Science Practice test

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What type of mutation occurs when one base is repeated in a DNA sequence?

  1. Substitution

  2. Deletion

  3. Duplication

  4. Inversion

The correct answer is: Duplication

A mutation that involves the repetition of one base in a DNA sequence is classified as a duplication. Duplication mutations result in the presence of one or more copies of a sequence of DNA, which can range from a single nucleotide to large segments of genes or entire genes. This type of mutation can lead to changes in the protein's function or expression, as the additional copies may produce more of a protein than is normally synthesized, possibly contributing to certain genetic disorders or variations in traits. To understand duplication better, it is also helpful to know the context of the other types of mutations: for example, substitution involves replacing one base with another, which alters a single nucleotide; deletion refers to the loss of a base or bases from the DNA sequence, which can impact the reading frame of the genetic code; and inversion entails the reversal of a segment of DNA within the chromosome. Each type of mutation has distinctive characteristics and implications, but duplications specifically lead to repeated segments within the genetic material.