Correct Response: C. The genetic code is redundant in the sense that there are 64 possible codons and only 20 different amino acids. This means that many amino acids are coded for by multiple codons. When a point mutation occurs that changes a codon but does not change the amino acid that it codes for, there will be no change in phenotype because the amino acid that is incorporated into the protein will not change. Somatic mutations occur in body cells and will not affect the germline of the organisms, regardless of the redundancy of the genetic code (A). The redundancy of the genetic code will not prevent nucleotide base deletions from leading to frameshift mutations (B). A missense mutation is a nucleotide substitution that results in a new amino acid being incorporated into the encoded protein. A translocation is when DNA is exchanged between chromosomes. Missense mutations do not result in translocations (D) and neither are affected by the redundancy of the genetic code.
