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

In this view, harmful mutations are usually removed by natural selection, while truly beneficial mutations are so rare that most lasting molecular changes are expected to be neutral.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2026

In December 2010, more than a decade after Pena first told me about his project, his team published the results: some of the mutations matched.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann