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Mutations are both! Mutations lead to genetic variation. (so does fertilization) It gives the organism greater chance of survival if the environment changes. Mutations could lead to different height or eye color etc. They could also lead to disadvantages as well. If the adaptation in an environment is tall and a mutation is made for short then the mutation isn't very advantagoes. If the environments adaptation is for an immunity to a chemical like pesticides vs bugs and a bug has an immunity due to mutation then it is beneficial
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoMutations can be either helpful or harmful to an organism, depending on if the habitat and niche of that organism deems the mutation beneficial or not. Think of it this way. It wouldn't be very beneficial for humans to have gills like a fish. Although it can be said that at the cellular level this has probably been tried many times.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agohelpful if species improvement occurs
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Whether a mutation is harmful or helpful depends partly on an organism's?
the organism's environment
Changes in DNA sequence of a single gene are called?
Changes in a DNA sequence of a single gene is called a point mutation. These mutations can be harmful or not to the organism.
Describe the three types of Mutations?
The three major types of mutations generally are point mutation, insertion, and deletion. Point Mutation - This is when one base is substituted or changed into another base. Typically it changes from a purine to a purine, or pyrimidine to pyrimidine Insertion - A base is inserted into the DNA sequence shifting all of the other bases. Deletion - A base is deleted from the DNA sequence shifting all of the other bases.
How can mutations affect an organism?
It depends on if it is in the germ line or in a somatic Cell. In the germ line a mutation can cause birth defects or lethal mutations. In somatic Cells it can cause cancer. The Genetic Mutation will have either of these effects: either beneficial or detrimental.
How may changes to genes that is mutation result in harmful beneficial or neutral effects to the organism?
Mutations are random changes so there is no way to predict what kind of effect they will have.
What is a mutation that helps an organism to live and survive in its environment?
The mutations or other changes are adaptations.
How do mutations organism?
Mutations can give an organism diseases and all kinds of malfunctions of their organs. It can affects their life span and how they live about. Some mutations can be awful like that, but other times it can be very helpful and actually help an organism have a better life.
Whether a mutation is harmful or helpful depends partly on an organism's?
the organism's environment
What kind of mutations do you think would be harmful to an organism?
The majority of mutations that organisms get are harmful or neutral. Cancer is an example of a harmful mutation. So are certain genetic diseases and deformities, like an extra set of limbs.
What is beneficial mutations?
Well, there is no specific type of mutation that is beneficial. They can be harmful, helpful, or have no effect at all.
What are the causes of mutation in animals?
A mutation occurs when there is a slight change in an organism's DNA. Mutations can be as small as one base, and it can be helpful, harmful, or have no effect. It can also be caused by an environmental agent or mistake. Hope this helps!
How is a mutation harmful to a organism?
Not all mutations are harmful. A mutation the give the organism antibiotic resistance, for example, is quite helpful. A different mutation that causes a necessary protein to misfold may result in death. In general mutations that affect proteins that are necessary for life will result in the death of the organism. One such mutation is in the protein p53 which is necessary to prevent a cell from growing uncontrollable (cancer). A mutation in p53 could result in a cell with damaged DNA to reproduce - this is what we call cancer.
What are some ways that mutations in some living things are helpful to those organisms but harmful to humans?
--------bob
Why do mutations tend to be harmful instead of helpful?
Not all mutations are harmful. The improvements in creatures through evolution are from beneficial mutations. The beneficial mutations increase the creature's chance of survival and passing along those new beneficial genes to its offspring.
Can mutations be beneficial?
They can certainly be either. When researching it closely scientists have found a lot of mutations which don't seem to have any influence. "Bad" mutations tends not to be functional, and often disappear pretty much by themselves one way or another.
How do mutation affect organism?
Mutations can give an organism diseases and all kinds of malfunctions of their organs. It can affects their life span and how they live about. Some mutations can be awful like that, but other times it can be very helpful and actually help an organism have a better life.
A mutation is harmful to an organism if?
Mutations are harmful if they decrease the function of some part of the body. Unfortunately, this is the case far more often than them making an improvement.
