Which process creates an exact genetic copy of an organism?

Which process creates an exact genetic copy of an organism?

• A. Cloning
• B. Mutation
• C. Selective breeding
• D. Fermentation

Answer: (A)

Cloning is the process that creates an exact genetic copy of an organism. In reproductive cloning, a donor cell’s nucleus is placed into an egg cell that has had its own nucleus removed. The egg is stimulated to develop, producing an organism whose nuclear DNA matches the donor’s, effectively duplicating the genetic material. That’s what makes cloning the best answer when the question asks for an exact genetic copy. It’s worth noting that while the nuclear genome can be copied, some factors can lead to differences in actual organisms. Epigenetic changes and the egg’s mitochondrial DNA can influence development, so the phenotype might not be a perfect replica, even though the DNA is meant to be duplicated. In contrast, mutation changes DNA, selective breeding combines genes to produce new traits without duplicating a genome, and fermentation is a metabolic process that does not involve copying an organism’s genome.

Cloning is the process that creates an exact genetic copy of an organism. In reproductive cloning, a donor cell’s nucleus is placed into an egg cell that has had its own nucleus removed. The egg is stimulated to develop, producing an organism whose nuclear DNA matches the donor’s, effectively duplicating the genetic material. That’s what makes cloning the best answer when the question asks for an exact genetic copy.

It’s worth noting that while the nuclear genome can be copied, some factors can lead to differences in actual organisms. Epigenetic changes and the egg’s mitochondrial DNA can influence development, so the phenotype might not be a perfect replica, even though the DNA is meant to be duplicated. In contrast, mutation changes DNA, selective breeding combines genes to produce new traits without duplicating a genome, and fermentation is a metabolic process that does not involve copying an organism’s genome.