The mechanism for reactive oxygen species to cause mutation is Select one: a. bases are oxidized to a variety of different products which might pair with a different base than the original base would have. b. guanine is depurinated by the reactive oxygen species and if it is not repaired can result in any base being inserted. c. the reactive oxygen species stabilize different tautomeric forms of the bases causing inappropriate pairing. d. thymine bases are dimerized which causes a break in the DNA which is not repaired correctly.

Option a. is correct

Explanation:

A mutation refers to a change in our DNA sequence which causes it to break down. It occurs due to the following reasons:

1. Due to mistakes when the DNA is copied

2. Due to environmental factors such as UV light, smoking.

3. Exposure to specific chemicals or radiation

The mechanism for reactive oxygen species to cause mutation is that bases are oxidized to a variety of different products which might pair with a different base than the original base would have.

b. guanine is depurinated by the reactive oxygen species and if it is not repaired can result in any base being inserted.

Explanation:

The most common insult to the DNA of living organisms is depurination, in which the β-N-glycosidic bond between an adenine or guanine and the deoxyribose is hydrolyzed. when the abnormal bases for example dUTP, 8-oxo-dGTP formed are incorporated into DNA, the resulting lesions leads to mutation and production of abnormal copies of DNA.