Question

Select ALL the correct answers.
DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is a man-made pesticide that was designed to kill insects that carried diseases. However, the pesticide was found to cause mutations to both body cells and sex cells in other organisms. Because of this, DDT is now banned in most countries around the world.

How are mutations to reproductive cells, or gametes, different than mutations to other cells in the body?

Mutations to body cells can be passed on to offspring.
Only mutations to reproductive cells can be passed on to offspring.
Only mutations to body cells are harmful to organisms.
Mutations to reproductive cells are usually beneficial to offspring.

Answer 1

Only mutations to reproductive cells can be passed on to offspring.

Explanation: Mutations in gametes (sperm or eggs) are incorporated into every cell of the resulting offspring and thus can be inherited. Mutations in somatic (body) cells affect only the individual and are not passed to offspring. The other statements are incorrect: body-cell mutations generally are not inherited, and germline mutations are not usually beneficial (most are neutral or harmful; beneficial ones are rare).