mutations

Cultural  

1. Changes in chromosomes or genes that cause offspring to have characteristics different from those of their parents. Mutations can be caused by the effects of chemicals, radiation, or even ordinary heat on DNA. Mutations produce some of the differences between members of a species on which natural selection acts.

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Example Sentences

Dr. Heather Richardson, a breast cancer surgeon in Beverly Hills, said she’s seeing more women who don’t carry genetic mutations nevertheless anxious to have their breasts removed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

In Egli’s study, nearly 80% of embryos became mosaics, meaning if those embryos grew into babies, they would likely still have cells with the disease-causing mutations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

A DNA-editing technique, base editing, was used on early-stage embryos to fix disease-causing mutations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Using large deep mutational scanning datasets from their own lab and others, the team looked at the effects of many mutations in model organisms such as yeast and E. coli.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2026

Rifkin and many others believed that any manipulation of DNA, even in a controlled laboratory setting, was dangerous because it might lead to genetic mutations and make it possible to engineer “designer babies.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot