Question

Scientists have learned that organs in the respiratory tract that come into direct contact with inhaled smoke have more mutations caused by DNA damage than those that are elsewhere in the body. When a parent cell in one of these organs divides, the daughter cells carry the mutation.



Which argument addresses the claim that inheritable genetic variations may result from mutations caused by smoking?



A.
The damaged DNA in the lung cells is inheritable because it is in a gamete and contributes to inherited genetic variation.

B.
The damaged DNA in the lung cells is inheritable because it is in a gamete but does not contribute to inherited genetic variation.

C.
The damaged DNA in the lung cells is not inheritable because it is not in a gamete but does not lead to inherited genetic variation.



D.
The damaged DNA in the lung cells is not inheritable because it is not in a gamete and does contribute to inherited genetic variation.

Answer 1

C

Mutations in lung (somatic) cells aren't passed to offspring because they're not in gametes (sperm or eggs). Only mutations in germ cells can lead to inherited genetic variation.