Question

Gene mutations can be passed on to future generations and drive natural selection. Choose the best description of how gene mutations are involved in evolution.

A. All gene mutations are passed to future generations and over many generations will contribute to the evolution of new species.
B. Gene mutations can be helpful, harmful, or neutral for an organism's survival. Only mutations that are helpful in the organism's environment would influence its survival and reproduction.
C. Gene mutations can be dominant or recessive for an organism. Dominant genes will be adaptive for future generations, but recessive genes won't.
D. Gene mutations often skip generations, with advantageous traits showing up several generations after the gene mutation was first introduced.

Answer 1

It would be B. neutral for an organism's survival. Only mutations that are helpful in the organism's environment would influence its survival and reproduction.

Answer 2

Option (B).

Step-by-step explanation:

Gene mutation may be defined as the sudden, inheritable alteration in the DNA sequence of the organism. Mutation may affect the single base pair or may change the sequence of a chromosome as well.

Gene mutations can be neutral, beneficial or harmful depending on the effect of the gene mutation. The beneficial mutation in the organism's environment can be inherited and influence its survival and reproduction, leads to natural selection.

Thus, the correct answer is option (B).