Why do RNA viruses appear to have higher rates of mutation?
A) RNA nucleotides are more unstable than DNA nucleotides.
B) Replication of their genomes does not involve proofreading.
C) RNA viruses can incorporate a variety of nonstandard bases.
D) RNA viruses are more sensitive to mutagens.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Replication of RNA genomes does not involve proofreading. RNA polymerases lack the proofreading ability of DNA polymerases and therefore make more mistakes during replication. This results in a higher rate of mutations in RNA viruses.

Why Do RNA Viruses Appear to Have Higher Rates of Mutation