What is a mutation?

Answer 1

In biology, mutations are changes to the genetic material (either DNA or RNA). Mutations can be caused by copying errors in the genetic material during cell division and by exposure to radiation, chemicals (mutagens), or viruses, or can occur deliberately under cellular control during processes such as meiosis or hypermutation. In multicellular organisms, mutations can be subdivided into germline mutations, which can be passed on to descendants, and somatic mutations. The somatic mutations cannot be transmitted to descendants in animals. Plants sometimes can transmit somatic mutations to their descendants asexually or sexually (in case when flower buds develop in somatically mutated part of plant).

Mutations create variation in the gene pool, and the less favorable (or deleterious) mutations are removed from the gene pool by natural selection, while more favorable (beneficial or advantageous) ones tend to accumulate, resulting in evolutionary change. Neutral mutations are defined as mutations whose effects do not influence the fitness of either the species or the individuals who make up the species. These can accumulate over time due to genetic drift. The overwhelming majority of mutations have no significant effect, since DNA repair is able to mend most changes before they become permanent mutations, and many organisms have mechanisms for eliminating otherwise permanently mutated somatic cells.

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Answer 2

There are a couple of different ways a mutation may happen.

When the genetic code inside of a cell is copied or pieced back together (ie during transcription), sometimes it is copied wrong, or pieces may be left out, and the incorrect Nucleic acids are put in place, resulting in a mutation.

This is much like when a CD player in a car skips if you hit a bump, occasionally the process can "hit a bump" for some reason or another and create some faulty or missing "DNA code" which results in a mutation.

Hope this helps,
K

Answer 3

Mutation is a change in genetic material. This change is inherited by daughter cells. The change could be in the sequence or number of complete genes e. g deletion or duplication, translocation or the change in the number and sequence of nucleotides that make the gene themselves i.e. base pair substitution, insertion or deletion i.e. frame shift mutation.
Mutation changes the genetic words so changes the meaning of genetic message which may result in change in observable characters.

Answer 4

It's what happened to the American government after Bush became President.

Answer 5

it's a word for an email that got redirected.

Answer 6

go to
http://www.answers.com/topic/mutation

Answer 7

hatching growing growing !

Answer 8

me dear lady