When two adjacent bases in the same strand of DNA dimerize (form a covalent bond between them), what happens to the DNA?
A) The original strand of DNA now contains a new DNA sequence.
B) The original strand of DNA is kinked, which prevents DNA polymerase from working properly.
C) The original strand of DNA is methylated, which causes the bases to mismatch.
D) The original strand of DNA is prevented from opening during replication, so this section of DNA will not be replicated.
E) The original strand of DNA is unaffected, so no additional mutations arise.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dimerization of adjacent bases, such as thymine dimers, causes a kink in the DNA strand, which can interfere with DNA polymerase activity during replication.

When Two Adjacent Bases in the Same Strand of DNA