Question

Mutation rates vary (in part) because polymerases have different error rates.

1) True
2) False

Answer 1

True. Mutation rates vary partly because DNA polymerases have different error rates. DNA replication is a highly accurate process, but mistakes can occasionally occur, such as a DNA polymerase inserting a wrong base.

Step-by-step explanation:

True. Mutation rates vary partly because DNA polymerases have different error rates. DNA replication is a highly accurate process, but mistakes can occasionally occur, such as a DNA polymerase inserting a wrong base. However, DNA polymerases also have a proofreading ability, which allows them to correct many of these mistakes. The proofreading ability of DNA polymerases allows them to sense a mismatched base pair and replace it with the correct base, reducing the number of errors in DNA replication. Therefore, the error rates of polymerases contribute to the variation in mutation rates.