Hereditary mutation

Hereditary Mutation

Hereditary mutation (pronunciation: /hɪˈrɛdɪtəri mjuːˈteɪʃən/) is a type of genetic mutation that is passed down from parents to their offspring through their genes.

Etymology

The term "hereditary" comes from the Latin word "hereditas" which means "condition of being an heir". The term "mutation" comes from the Latin word "mutatio" which means "a changing".

Definition

A hereditary mutation, also known as a germline mutation, is a change in the DNA sequence that occurs in an organism's gametes, or sex cells. These mutations can be passed on to offspring, and can affect every cell in the organism's body if they are present in a fertilized egg.

Types of Hereditary Mutations

There are several types of hereditary mutations, including:

• Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs): These are the most common type of genetic variation among people. Each SNP represents a difference in a single DNA building block, called a nucleotide.

• Copy Number Variations (CNVs): These are a type of structural variation where sections of the genome are repeated and the number of repeats in the genome varies between individuals in the human population.

• Insertions and Deletions: These are mutations in which DNA is inserted or deleted from a section of the genome. These can cause significant genetic changes and can lead to genetic disorders.

Related Terms

• Genetic disorder
• Genetic variation
• Genome
• Genotype
• Phenotype

See Also

• Genetic mutation
• DNA sequence
• Gametes

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Hereditary mutation
• Wikipedia's article - Hereditary mutation

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski