mutation
A mutation is a change in a genetic sequence. Mutations include changes as small as the substitution of a single DNA building block, or nucleotide base, with another nucleotide base. Meanwhile, larger mutations can affect many genes on a chromosome. Along with substitutions, mutations can also be caused by insertions, deletions, or duplications of DNA sequences.
Some mutations are hereditary because they are passed down to an offspring from a parent carrying a mutation through the germ line, meaning through an egg or sperm cell carrying the mutation. There are also nonhereditary mutations that occur in cells outside of the germ line, which are called somatic mutations. Mutations can be introduced due to mistakes made during DNA replication or due to exposure to mutagens, which are chemical and environmental agents that can introduce mutations in the DNA sequence, such as ultraviolet light. Some mutations do not result in changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein and can be described as silent mutations. Other mutations result in abnormal protein products. Mutations can introduce new alleles into a population of organisms and increase the population's genetic variation.
Further Exploration
Concept Links for further exploration
