Question

Suppose the fictional condition lycanthropy is an autosomal dominant disorder that causes an affected person to have a strong physical reaction to the changing lunar cycle. Most cases of lycanthropy are due to spontaneous new mutations in the gametes of normal individuals. These new cases are due to a spontaneous mutation that occurs in paternal gametes, as opposed to maternal gametes. Additionally, the likelihood of this mutation occurring increases as the father ages. Which of the following statements represent a related hypothesis for these findings? Sperm undergo more mitotic cellular divisions than egg and therefore have a higher risk of developing a spontaneous mutation. The average somatic mutation rate is higher in males than in females, therefore sperm have more mutations than eggs. The mutation for lycanthropy may confer a benefit to the sperm, increasing the chance of survival when compared to a normal sperm. The gene involved in lycanthropy may be in a mutational hotspot.

Answer 1

Answer:

Sperm undergo more mitotic cellular divisions than egg and therefore have a higher risk of developing a spontaneous mutation.  

Explanation:

As you have seen in the question above, lycanthropy is a mutation that is more likely to be established as the supply of male gametes comes from older men. This is because sperm undergo more mitotic cell divisions than eggs, and therefore are at greater risk of developing a spontaneous mutation.

In order for you to understand this, you need to know that eggs (which are female gametes) are produced at once in a woman's body. Thus, cell division is limited and therefore the opportunity for spontaneous mutations to occur is also limited. However, men produce sperm from adolescence to death, creating the need for countless cell divisions, which can develop genetic errors that create spontaneous mutations in gametes.