Question

mutations within an organism can occur in body cells or reproductive cells. which type of mutation is seen in a sperm cell but not in a skin cell?
○ somatic mutation
○ missense mutation
○ nonsense mutation
○ germline mutation

Explanation:

1. Recall the definitions:

• Somatic mutations occur in body cells (like skin cells) and aren't passed to offspring.
• Missense and nonsense mutations are types of point mutations (affecting DNA coding, can occur in any cell with DNA, including body or reproductive cells).
• Germline mutations occur in reproductive cells (like sperm/egg cells) and can be passed to offspring.

1. Analyze the question: We need a mutation in sperm (reproductive) but not skin (body) cells.

• Somatic mutations are in body cells, so not this.
• Missense/nonsense can occur in body cells too.
• Germline mutations happen in reproductive cells (sperm is reproductive), and skin is body (so germline mutations aren't in skin cells).

Answer:

D. germline mutation