Question

Starting with a population of genetically identical mice, you discover two new independent mutant strains in which all of the animals have epileptic seizures. In both strains, you know that the epileptic seizures are due to a single DNA mutation. You cross a mutant mouse from one strain to a mutant mouse from the second strain and find that none of their offspring undergo spontaneous seizures. From this experiment you would conclude that the two mutant strains of mice most likely have mutations in:________
a. the same DNA base position within a particular gene
b. the same gene, but not necessarily the same DNA base position.
c. two different genes.

Answer 1

Answer:

b. the same gene, but not necessarily the same DNA base position.

Explanation:

Starting with a population of genetically identical mice, you discover two new independent mutant strains in which all of the animals have epileptic seizures. In both strains, you know that the epileptic seizures are due to a single DNA mutation. You cross a mutant mouse from one strain to a mutant mouse from the second strain and find that none of their offspring undergo spontaneous seizures. From this experiment you would conclude that the two mutant strains of mice most likely have mutations in the same gene,  but not necessarily the same DNA base position.