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.

---

Example Sentences

"Each hantavirus has evolved since ancient times along with its rodent host without undergoing significant mutations," Lazaro said.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

It then builds a personalized blood test to hunt for those mutations in the patient’s future blood draws.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Significant mutations would likely disrupt replication, making the structure a potentially stable drug target across many enteroviruses.

From Science Daily • May 13, 2026

And so, we found two genetic mutations of mine.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

When I was a college undergraduate in the early 1950’s, I was fortunate enough to work in the laboratory of H. J. Muller, a great geneticist and the man who discovered that radiation produces mutations.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan