Exposure to the building material asbestos has been linked to certain types of cancers. Asbestos causes mutations in the p53 gene, which controls tumor suppression.

Question

Which statement best explains why people with cancer due to asbestos exposure do not pass the mutation on to their offspring?

The mutation is sex-linked.

The mutation occurred in gametic cells.

The mutation occurred in somatic cells.

The mutation is recessive.

Answer 1

The correct statement that best explains why people with cancer due to asbestos exposure do not pass the mutation on to their offspring is:

The mutation occurred in somatic cells.

Mutations in somatic cells (which are non-germline cells involved in the body's tissues and organs) are not inherited by offspring. Only mutations that occur in germline cells (sperm and egg cells) can be passed on to the next generation. Thus, mutations resulting from asbestos exposure, which typically affect somatic cells, will not be transmitted to children.