Mutation | Definition, Causes, Types, Facts | Britannica mutation, an alteration in the genetic material (the genome) of a cell of a living organism or of a virus that is more or less permanent and that can be transmitted to the cell’s or the virus’s descendants
Mutation - Wikipedia In biology, a mutation is an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA [1] Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA
Mutations - Understanding Evolution For example, the yellow color on half of a petal on this red tulip was caused by a somatic mutation The seeds of the tulip do not carry the mutation Cancer is also caused by somatic mutations that cause a particular cell lineage (e g , in the breast or brain) to multiply out of control Such mutations affect the individual carrying them but are not passed directly on to offspring Photo from
Mutation A mutation is a change in a DNA sequence Mutations can result from DNA copying mistakes made during cell division, exposure to ionizing radiation, exposure to chemicals called mutagens, or infection by viruses
What is a Mutation? Understanding DNA Changes and Their . . . To understand mutation is to appreciate both the fragility and resilience of life It reveals how a single letter change in a molecule can alter the course of history—or the fate of an individual