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Modern Genetic Analysis
7. Gene Mutations
Key Concepts

Mutation is the process whereby genes change from one allelic form to another.
Mutations can occur spontaneously owing to several different mechanisms, including errors of DNA replication and spontaneous damage to the DNA.
Mutagens are agents that increase the frequency of mutagenesis, usually by altering the DNA.
Biological repair systems eliminate many potentially mutagenic alterations in the DNA.
Cells lacking certain repair systems have higher than normal mutation rates.
Forward mutations are changes away from the wild-type allele, and reverse mutations are changes to the a wild-type allele.
Mutations can lead to loss of function of a gene or to a new function.
Mutations in cells in the germ line can be transmitted to progeny, but somatic mutations cannot.
A biological process can be dissected genetically if mutations can be obtained that affect that process.

© 1999 by W. H. Freeman and Company. All rights reserved.