Mutation

How it is used

Used across research, cancer biology and evolution. A gene can carry or acquire a mutation; mutations can be inherited or arise spontaneously. In clinical reports 'variant' is now preferred, because 'mutation' sounds harmful to patients. The verb is 'mutate'.

Example sentences

1. The tumor carries a mutation in the KRAS gene.

2. UV light can cause mutations in skin cells.

Common collocations

• carry a mutation
• acquire a mutation
• driver mutation
• loss-of-function mutation
• mutation rate

Related terms

• variantA difference in a DNA sequence compared with a reference sequence. It is the neutral word used in clinical genetics, whether the change is harmful or harmless.
• point mutationA change of a single base in the DNA sequence, for example a G replaced by an A.
• deletionA type of mutation in which part of the DNA sequence is lost, from a single base to a large section of a chromosome.
• somatic mutationA mutation that happens in a body cell after conception. It is not present in egg or sperm cells, so it is not passed on to children.
• germlineThe line of reproductive cells, meaning eggs, sperm and the cells that produce them, through which DNA is passed to the next generation.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• mutation · Biology

More terms: Mutations and Genetic Variation

• SNP
• frameshift mutation
• pathogenic
• copy number variation