Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________
Date: _____________
Self Assessment: Genetic Mutation
1. What is any change in the structure of a DNA strand called?
a) mutagen
b) mutation
c) point transcription
d) inversion
2. Chemical X causes a single base pair deletion in a DNA strand. This deletion is an example of a _____.
a) frameshift mutation
b) translocation
c) point mutation
d) inversion
3. Why will a mutation in a lung cell not be passed on to offspring?
a) because the mutation is in a somatic cell
b) because the mutation is in a gamete
c) because the mutation is in an epithelial cell
d) because the mutation is in a sex cell
4. When is a mutation that normally has harmful or neutral effects most likely to be beneficial?
a) when the organism has well functioning repair mechanisms
b) when the sequence of the gene is completely reversed
c) when the environment is in a state of change
d) when the mutation is only in somatic cells
5. Mutations may affect only one gene, or they may affect the whole _____.
a) chromosome
b) nucleotide
c) strand
d) chromatid
PAGE 1
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________
Self Assessment: Genetic Mutation
6. Which is NOT an example of a mutagen?
a) radiation
b) cigarette smoke
c) sunlight
d) low temperatures
7. Mutations in somatic cells might result in what disease?
a) Parkinson's
b) diabetes
c) cancer
d) hemophilia
8. What is any agent that can cause a change in DNA called?
a) a chemical
b) a carcinogen
c) a mutagen
d) a mutant
9. DNA repair mechanisms are carried out by _____.
a) enzymes
b) nucleotides
c) proteins
d) mutagens
10. What process is affected by a frameshift mutation?
a) protein synthesis
b) protein translation
c) RNA transcription
d) DNA replication
PAGE 2
Date: _____________
ANSWER KEY
1. b
2. a
3. a
4. c
5. a
6. d
ANSWER KEY Page 1
7. c
8. c
9. a
10. a