Mutations Abstract
"Everyone Is a Mutant, But Some More Than Others." Today’s Science. Facts on File News Services, July 2011. Web. 19 Sept. 2011. .
What do you think about when you hear the word mutant? You probably think about a big, alien-type monster with many horrendous attachments, or those teenage, crime-fighting turtles. The truth is, everyone is a mutant. Our bodies all contain mutations. They are what make humans so diverse in terms of attributes. Mutations are changes, or mistakes, in our genetic code, or DNA. These changes are normal, and although some mutations can be harmful, or even beneficial, most do not affect bodily functions at all. But how do these mutations form and where do they come from? One way to get mutations is by new ones forming. When embryos are being developed, the genetic information from the mother and the genetic information from the father are being copied into a new set of DNA. The enzymes that “proofread” the DNA to make sure it is all correct are extremely efficient, but everybody makes mistakes. These errors made by these enzymes are the mutations in our bodies. The second way to get mutations is from an organism’s parents; the mutation is passed on through DNA. When a mutation is formed in the body, sometimes it is transferred into gametes, or the reproductive sex cells, like the sperm and the egg. Then, during reproduction, the mutant gametes get transferred on to the new organisms DNA. Although both parents have mutations that they pass on to the child, most of the mutations come from the dad. While females are born with all of the eggs they will need in their lifetime, males constantly are making sperm cells. This constant replenishment of sperm causes more opportunities for a mutation to be transferred into one of these male gametes. Matthew Hurles and Philip Awadalla did a study to see if this hypothesis was correct. They used one Nigerian family trio (father, mother, and daughter) and another Caucasian Utah family trio. The mom
What do you think about when you hear the word mutant? You probably think about a big, alien-type monster with many horrendous attachments, or those teenage, crime-fighting turtles. The truth is, everyone is a mutant. Our bodies all contain mutations. They are what make humans so diverse in terms of attributes. Mutations are changes, or mistakes, in our genetic code, or DNA. These changes are normal, and although some mutations can be harmful, or even beneficial, most do not affect bodily functions at all. But how do these mutations form and where do they come from? One way to get mutations is by new ones forming. When embryos are being developed, the genetic information from the mother and the genetic information from the father are being copied into a new set of DNA. The enzymes that “proofread” the DNA to make sure it is all correct are extremely efficient, but everybody makes mistakes. These errors made by these enzymes are the mutations in our bodies. The second way to get mutations is from an organism’s parents; the mutation is passed on through DNA. When a mutation is formed in the body, sometimes it is transferred into gametes, or the reproductive sex cells, like the sperm and the egg. Then, during reproduction, the mutant gametes get transferred on to the new organisms DNA. Although both parents have mutations that they pass on to the child, most of the mutations come from the dad. While females are born with all of the eggs they will need in their lifetime, males constantly are making sperm cells. This constant replenishment of sperm causes more opportunities for a mutation to be transferred into one of these male gametes. Matthew Hurles and Philip Awadalla did a study to see if this hypothesis was correct. They used one Nigerian family trio (father, mother, and daughter) and another Caucasian Utah family trio. The mom