Question 1 Children inherit DNA from their parents. Which characteristic of DNA replication is most important in preserving the genetic code from one generation to the next? When DNA replicates, it always remains in the nucleus so the risk of mutation remains low. Both parents' DNA have identical backbones, so the children's DNA will always be identical to the parents'. DNA follows base-pairing rules, so it forms an exact copy of itself every time it replicates. Only one DNA molecule from each parent replicates, so only two exact copies are passed on to the children.