are all mutations harmful?

Question

if yes/no, why?

Answer 1

Absolutely not. Most mutations are actually completely neutral, and some are even beneficial. In fact, without beneficial mutations, we wouldn't even exist. It was mutations that caused cells to start sticking together to eventually from multicellular organisms, mutations that allowed aquatic life to move onto land, and mutations that separated humans from other primates.

A mutation is just any change in the DNA sequence of an organisms. Most often, this is in a part of the genome that doesn't actually code for a protein, so it doesn't change anything for the organism. If the mutation is in a gene (i.e. a region of DNA that encodes a protein), it still might not do anything at all to the protein or might change the amino acid sequence in a way that doesn't effect the function of the protein. Finally, there are the interesting mutations that actually change the function of the protein. Sometimes those kill the organism, or making something work less well. But other times the new protein actually works better than the old one.

One common example of a beneficial mutation (at least for the organism it occurs in) is antibiotic resistance in bacteria. There are various changes in the genome of a bacteria that cause it not to be effected by chemicals that kill non-mutant bacteria. While that's usually bad for us, it's certainly better for the bacteria if it doesn't die.

In humans, there are mutations that occur that can make people less susceptible to certain diseases, or make them stronger, taller, or able to jump higher. Most of the time, these random mutations just show up as variation in the population and we don't really notice them, but any differences you see between two people are the result of random mutations at some point in their evolutionary past. Mutations that are particularly helpful tend to take over completely after a few generations, so we don't really identify them as being "different," but rather as "normal," but every trait you can think of in humans or any other animal started out as a random mutation.

Answer 2

The answer is no because mutation is sometimes simply part of the way evolution works. A mutation can be the next step in an progression if it is a successful one. Not all mutations are harmful to a species but actually can be beneficial to its survival.

Answer 3

No, but most are. A mutation is when a nucleotide base is changed, deleted, or added during DNA replication. This can cause a different protein to be produced in protein synthesis, potentially causing a disease, or perhaps nothing at all.

Theoretically, a mutation could cause a beneficial side-effect, and mutations are in fact a factor in a population's gradual process of better adapting to their environment (evolution), but generally the effects are negative.

Answer 4

No, some mutations are good, an animal can mutate to cope with the environment and some bacterias do the same, some insects mutate and become stronger against an insecticide and so on, therefore not all mutations are bad

Answer 5

No are mutations are not harful as you see in some kids movies and some other movies also mutations can be useful also the can give you a new life science is a like a sword you can also protect yourself and doing a little mistake can cut yourself.

Answer 6

You must consider the mutation. For example a mole that turns malignant or cancerous is a terrible mutation of the human epidermis - on the other hand mutation can be working for millions of years as Darwin showed us when he described the flora and fauna of th Galapagos Islands.

Answer 7

No. Mutations are the recipe to evolution. With out mutations evolution could never take place.

One specie could mutate which gives it an advantage over the others in terms of hunting ability, birth rate, size, ect,ect,ect.

The genes from this mutant will be put into the gene pool and over time it will knock the other genes out and the new mutant will take over.

Evolution in humans is done. Maybe de-evolution is in the process. :)

Answer 8

no some mutations are good. due to mutations in genes new species are produced. it is due to these mutations that man has evolved. in biotechnology by inserting one gene from a species to another new species resistant too diseases and with the desired qualities are produced.

Answer 9

that is an absolute statement, and so would have to say no-many sucessful lifeforms are considered mutations of the original and much of our produced is man0made mutations for various reasons.

Answer 10

Not all are harmful, but all cause a loss of genetic info (DNA). For example, bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics are the ones that lack the genetic info acceptable to antibiotics. They benefit from the mutation that looses the gene that would allow them to be killed. (Not much good to us, though!)