Question

Why is the genetic code considered resistant to mutations?

Answer 1

after replicating a strand of DNA during cell division, the matching of the correct base pairs is checked and corrected if any miss-matches have occurred. It is not 100% efficient and, therefore, mistakes are not caught. That is the difference between mutant resistant and mutant proof.

Answer 2

The human genome is said to be "mutant resistant" because molecules in the cell are able to prevent and repair DNA damage, which would be any type of mutation. The DNA repair mechanisms are extremely efficient and usually only allow around 3-6 mutations passed on to the next generation. Although some might interpret mutations as being harmful, mutations are actually one of the mechanisms that allows evolution to occur.