Question

1.) Differentiate between mutation and substitution.

2.) Which are more common: silent, or replacement substitutions, and why?

3.) Explain what the neutral theory of molecular evolution is and why it is so valuable.

4.) Explain what codon bias is, and what pattern we see regarding it.

5.) What is the most common form of nonrandom mating, and why does it cause a decrease in heterozygosity?

6.) Explain the steps that lead to an extinction vortex.

Answer 1

1.
Mutation is any change in DNA. It can be substitutional, transitional, insertional etc.
But substitution is a mutation in which there is a exchange of an nucleotide for another
nucleotide. For example C is substituted in the place of G.

2.
Silent mutations do not alter the function of a protein.
Replacement substitutions alter the function of a protein.
Hence evolutionarily silent mutations are faorable when compared to replacement substitutions.
A study suggest that silent mutations are four times probable than replacement substitutions which
are harmful.