What is the meaning of the phrase “the DNA copies generated will be similar, but may not be identical”?
DNA copies may have slight differences.
During DNA replication, the enzyme DNA polymerase copies the template strand with very high — but not perfect — fidelity. Occasionally a wrong base is incorporated or a base is skipped. These small errors are called mutations and produce copies that are almost but not exactly identical to the parent DNA.
This is what the phrase means: the copies carry the same genetic information overall (making them 'similar') but may differ at one or a few base positions (making them 'not identical'). This is the molecular basis of variation, which drives evolution.
The correct answer is : DNA copies may have slight differences.
Similar Questions
What is the primary mechanism through which sexual reproduction generates genetic diversity in the offspring?
How many contrasting characters were used by Mendel to formulate the laws of inheritance?
Why does the amount of DNA NOT keep doubling during sexual reproduction in animals?
In humans, which parent determines the sex of the child?
Important Questions from Genetics and Evolution
Different varieties of the same gene are called
In a sexually reproducing organism, which one of the following statements is appropriate both for the parent and offspring?
In most prokaryotes, the chromosome number is:
Bacterial DNA is referred to as naked because it is not associated with:
The two important features of sexual reproduction in higher organisms that create genetic diversity in offspring are
