A scientist is breeding orange butterflies in the laboratory she notices a white butterfly in the latest generation of animals s
he sequences the genome of this butterfly in notices a mutation in the genes that calls for pigment in the wings. Explain how this mutation would result in a white butterfly.
A gene mutation can be defined as a permanent change in the DNA sequence that composes a gene, resulting in the observation that the sequence differs from what is obtainable in most individuals that make up the population. Mutations range from a change in a single DNA building block (change in the sequence of base pairs) to changes in a large segment of a chromosome that includes multiple genes.
Mutation in the color of the wings of the housefly can be passed on to the next generation. If this trait enhances survival of the butterflies, the orange winged butterflies will eventual become extinct and become entirely replaced by the white winged butterflies. This implies that gene pool has been completely modified.
