I need some help with these science questions.?

Question

I really don't understand these. I tried to figure them out but I have no clue. Thanks for helping ahead of time if you can. Here they are:

13. How can mutations affect protein synthesis in cells?

14. If the statment is true, write true next to it. If the statment is flase, write false next to it.

A. Cells with mutatuions will alway smake normal proteins.

B. Some mutations occur when on nitrogen base is substituted for another.

C. Some mutatuions occur when chromosomes don't separate correctly during meiosis.

D. Mutations that occur in a body cell can be passed on to an offspring.

4. One group of three nitrogen bases codes for one _______.

Answer 1

13.  In a number of ways.  A single base substitution can result in a different amino acid getting into the protein chain, which may (or may not) change what the protein does.  Other possible mutations may cause the protein to be made in larger quantity -- or not at all.

14.  A, false; B, true; C, true; D, false.

4. Amino acid -- the fundamental building block of a protein.

Answer 2

13.In biology, mutations are changes to the nucleotide sequence of the genetic material of an organism. Mutations can be caused by copying errors in the genetic material during cell division, by exposure to ultraviolet or ionizing radiation, chemical mutagens, or viruses, or can occur deliberately under cellular control during processes such as hypermutation. In multicellular organisms, mutations can be subdivided into germ line mutations, which can be passed on to descendants, and somatic mutations, which are not transmitted to descendants in animals. Plants sometimes can transmit somatic mutations to their descendants asexually or sexually (in case when flower buds develop in somatically mutated part of plant). A new mutation that was not inherited from either parent is called a de novo mutation. The source of the mutation is unrelated to the consequence, although the consequences are related to which cells are affected.

Mutations create variations in the gene pool. Less favorable (or deleterious) mutations can be reduced in frequency in the gene pool by natural selection, while more favorable (beneficial or advantageous) mutations may accumulate and result in adaptive evolutionary changes. For example, a butterfly may produce offspring with new mutations. The majority of these mutations will have no effect; but one might change the color of one of the butterfly's offspring, making it harder (or easier) for predators to see. If this color change is advantageous, the chance of this butterfly surviving and producing its own offspring are a little better, and over time the number of butterflies with this mutation may form a larger percentage of the population.

Neutral mutations are defined as mutations whose effects do not influence the fitness of an individual. These can accumulate over time due to genetic drift. It is believed that the overwhelming majority of mutations have no significant effect on an organism's fitness. Also, DNA repair mechanisms are able to mend most changes before they become permanent mutations, and many organisms have mechanisms for eliminating otherwise permanently mutated somatic cells.

Mutation is generally accepted by the scientific community as the mechanism upon which natural selection acts, providing the advantageous new traits that survive and multiply in offspring or disadvantageous traits that die out with weaker organisms.

14.a.false b.true c.true d.false

4.amino acid