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Related Concept Videos

Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

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A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
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Spontaneous mutations arise infrequently during DNA replication due to errors in the process. A key factor behind these errors is tautomeric shifts in nitrogenous bases, where bases transition from keto to enol forms or amino to imino forms. This shift can alter base-pairing rules, leading to mutations. Additionally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) arising from aerobic metabolism can damage DNA, resulting in depurination (loss of a purine base) or depyrimidination (loss of a pyrimidine base).
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Mutations in Microorganisms01:18

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Mutations are heritable changes in an organism’s genome involving alterations in the base sequence of DNA or RNA. These changes can influence cellular processes and phenotypic traits, potentially transforming the unaltered wild type into a mutant form. Such changes, termed forward mutations, are pivotal in shaping the genetic diversity of organisms.RNA viruses exhibit the highest mutation rates due to the absence of robust proofreading mechanisms during genome replication. In contrast,...
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Genome Copying Errors02:46

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DNA replication is a well-evolved process that copies millions of base pairs with high fidelity during each cell division. Occasionally a wrong base or a long stretch of wrong bases may get added to the daughter strands. If the errors are left unchecked, cells might accumulate several mutations that might endanger their  survival. Therefore, the copying errors are checked and repaired at three levels.
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Mutations01:35

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Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
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Mutations01:39

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Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
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Evolution: are the monkeys' typewriters rigged?

Michael R Garvin1, Anthony J Gharrett1

  • 1Fisheries Division , School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks , 17101 Point Lena Loop Road, Juneau, AK 99801, USA.

Royal Society Open Science
|June 12, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Evolutionary changes are not entirely random. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in DNA may drive mutations at specific sites, guided by protein function, influencing the evolution of new species.

Keywords:
codonevolutionmicrosatellitemolecular geneticsmutation

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Molecular evolution
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Evolution is traditionally viewed as driven by random mutations.
  • Positively selected sites in mitochondrial complex I have been identified across diverse taxa.
  • A simple sequence repeat (SSR) was found to encompass these selected sites in one taxon.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a novel model of evolution.
  • To test the hypothesis that SSRs increase mutation rates at specific sites.
  • To explore the role of functional constraints in maintaining SSRs and driving evolutionary change.

Main Methods:

  • Identified SSRs in mitochondrial-encoded proteins across species.
  • Analyzed the relationship between SSRs and positively selected sites.
  • Compared mutation patterns at neutral and selected sites.

Main Results:

  • Nearly all positively selected sites analyzed were found to encompass an SSR.
  • The proposed model explains a significant portion of mutations at neutral sites.
  • The SSR-driven mutation mechanism appears predominant at positively selected sites.

Conclusions:

  • Evolutionary processes may be guided by DNA physical properties and protein functional constraints, not solely random mutation.
  • SSRs can act as mutation hotspots, influencing adaptive evolution.
  • This challenges the paradigm of purely random mutation driving evolutionary trajectories.