Background: Once again, a mutation is the change in the DNA or RNA sequence. In multicellular organisms, mutations can be subdivided into germline mutations and somatic mutations. Germline mutations occur in the DNA of sex cells, or gametes, and are therefore potentially very serious. These mutations can be passed to the next generation. If the zygote contains the mutation, every cell in the resulting organism will have that mutation. If the mutation results in a disease phenotype, the mutation causes what is called a hereditary disease. Somatic mutations , which occur in somatic, or body, cells, cannot be passed to the next generation (offspring). Mutations present in a somatic cell of an organism will be present (by DNA replication and mitosis) in all descendants of that cell. If the mutation is present in a gene that is not used in that cell type, the mutation may have no effect. On the other hand, the mutation may lead to a serious medical condition such as cancer.

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Who had a germline mutation?
Answer: Kim

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Who had a somatic mutation?
Answer: Holly

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Which person's mutation can be passed on to their offspring?
Answer: Kim

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Which person's mutation cannot be passed on to their offspring?
Answer: Holly

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Is Kim's mutation more or less likely than Holly's to cause a hereditary disease?
Answer: more

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Is Holly's mutation more or less likely than Kim's to cause a hereditary disease?
Answer: less

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Whose mutation is more likely to cause cancer?
Answer: Holly

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Whose mutation is less likely to cause cancer?
Answer: Kim

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Will Kim's mutation or Holly's mutation have more of an impact on a developing zygote?
Answer: Kim's mutation

Situation: Two women have just undergone different types of mutations without them being aware of it. Kim has just had a mutation in the DNA of her sex cells. Holly has had a mutation in her body cells. Both mutations would be able to be discovered if they happen to go to a doctor, and the doctor knows to look for it, but that is unlikely since the women are unaware these changes happened.

Question: Will Kim's mutation or Holly's mutation have less of an impact on a developing zygote?
Answer: Holly's mutation