Chapter 16: The molecular basis of inheritance
The double-stranded structure of DNA provides a simple and elegant solution for the transmission of heritable information to the next generation; by using each strand as a template, existing information can be preserved and duplicated with high fidelity within the replication process. However, the process of replication is imperfect, and errors occur through chemical instability and environmental impacts. Random changes in DNA nucleotide sequences lead to heritable mutations if they are no repaired. To protect against changes in the original sequence, cells have multiple mechanisms to correct errors. Despite the action of repair enzymes, some mutations are not corrected and are passed on to subsequent generations.