Mutagenesis

Mutagenesis (or mutation, both words originating in the latin word mutare, to change) is the change of the genetic material (DNA or RNA) of an organism. This can be a single nucleotide being exchanged, removed, or added, ranging up to the change, deletion or addition of a whole chromosome.

Common causes for mutation are radiation, chemicals, or copying error when a cell is duplicating its genetic material before [cell division]?.

As mutations occur (almost) randomly, most of them are irrelevant or harmful for the cell that undergoes mutation, just like the random exchange of a letter in this article is more likely to do damage than to improve it. But, once in a while, the change will improve the whole, which is the driving force of evolution.

/Talk