Without external forces, the third generation of a bacterium and the original parent cell will have approximately ________ matching DNA sequences.(1 point)

Question

Responses

12.5%
12.5%

33%
33%

25%
25%

100%

Answer 1

In asexual reproduction, such as that seen in bacteria, the original parent cell replicates its DNA. Each subsequent generation will have some degree of genetic similarity to the parent cell.

For a bacterium reproducing by binary fission:

• The first generation (F1) will have 100% matching DNA with the parent.
• The second generation (F2) will have 50% matching DNA with the parent because it inherits half from the parent and half from F1.
• The third generation (F3) will have 25% matching DNA with the original parent because it inherits half of its DNA from F2, which is already half the parent's DNA.

Therefore, the answer is 25%.