Researchers found a strain of bacteria that had mutation rates one hundred times higher than normal. Which of the following statements correctly describes the most likely cause of these results?
A) The single-strand binding proteins were malfunctioning during DNA replication.
B) There were one or more base pair mismatches in the RNA primer.
C) The proofreading mechanism of DNA polymerase was not working properly.
D) The DNA polymerase was unable to add bases to the growing nucleic acid chain.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The proofreading mechanism of DNA polymerase is crucial for correcting errors during DNA replication. If it is not working properly, the mutation rate would significantly increase, as the enzyme would fail to correct errors that occur as DNA is copied.

Researchers Found a Strain of Bacteria That Had Mutation Rates