MUTATION

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does mutation mean? 

• MUTATION (noun)
  The noun MUTATION has 3 senses:

1. (biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration

2. (genetics) any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism

3. a change or alteration in form or qualities

  Familiarity information: MUTATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MUTATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

mutant; mutation; sport; variation

Hypernyms ("mutation" is a kind of...):

being; organism (a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently)

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "mutation"):

freak; lusus naturae; monster; monstrosity (a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed)

Derivation:

mutate (undergo mutation)

mutational (of or relating to or resulting from mutation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(genetics) any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

chromosomal mutation; genetic mutation; mutation

Hypernyms ("mutation" is a kind of...):

alteration; change; modification (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another)

Meronyms (parts of "mutation"):

mutagenesis (an event capable of causing a mutation)

Domain category:

genetic science; genetics (the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "mutation"):

deletion ((genetics) the loss or absence of one or more nucleotides from a chromosome)

inversion ((genetics) a kind of mutation in which the order of the genes in a section of a chromosome is reversed)

transposition ((genetics) a kind of mutation in which a chromosomal segment is transfered to a new position on the same or another chromosome)

gene mutation; point mutation ((genetics) a mutation due to an intramolecular reorganization of a gene)

reversion ((genetics) a return to a normal phenotype (usually resulting from a second mutation))

saltation ((genetics) a mutation that drastically changes the phenotype of an organism or species)

Derivation:

mutate (undergo mutation)

mutational (of or relating to or resulting from mutation)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A change or alteration in form or qualities

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("mutation" is a kind of...):

alteration; change; modification (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another)

Derivation:

mutational (of or relating to or resulting from mutation)

 Context examples 

Causes of adrenal gland disorders include: • Genetic mutations • Tumors including pheochromocytomas • Infections • A problem in another gland, such as the pituitary, which helps to regulate the adrenal gland • Certain medicines

(Adrenal Gland Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

This procedure reduced the number of lethal mutations so that this line can be used for parthenogenesis.

(AB Zebrafish, NCI Thesaurus)

Mutation of the gene is associated with Dubin-Johnson syndrome.

(ABCC2 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

A substance being studied in the treatment of breast cancers caused by mutations (changes) in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

(ABT-888, NCI Dictionary)

Adult progeria is caused by a mutation (change) in a gene involved in cell division.

(Adult progeria, NCI Dictionary)

Mutations in TTLL genes have been linked with several neurodegenerative disorders.

(Scientists unravel the mystery of the tubulin code, NIH)

These mutations arise early during melanoma pathogenesis and are preserved throughout tumor progression.

(Melanoma Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

This agent has a high barrier to resistance, however, a substitution mutation (S282T) on HCV NS5B impairs mericitabine's activity significantly.

(Mericitabine, NCI Thesaurus)

An X-linked disorder caused by mutations in the ATP7A gene resulting in the abnormal transport and metabolism of copper.

(Menkes Disease, NCI Thesaurus)

A molecular subtype of glioblastoma characterized by the presence of NF1 mutations.

(Mesenchymal Glioblastoma, NCI Thesaurus)