Glossary
Glossary
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- Mutation
- A change in the structure of DNA, often originating from environmental damage, such as ultraviolet radiation from the sun or exposure to chemicals. A mutation may have no effect, may cause harm or may (rarely) prove beneficial (evolution is accomplished through replication of advantageous mutations). A gene with a mutation may be rendered non-functional or may produce an abnormal version of the protein for which it encodes. Because genes are paired, we have some built-in protection from mutations—often the non-mutated gene overrides the effects of a mutated one.
