Term (lat. mutare "to change, to transform") for spontaneously occurring changes to genetic information in the cell nuclei of organisms (humans, animals, plants) that play an important role in evolution. These usually occur selectively (point mutations), but can also involve larger sections of DNA (deletion, insertion). If the mutations occur in the germline, they are passed on to the next generation.
If the organism is not propagated vegetatively) or not passed on by reproduction (outgrowth of a grape seed), the mutations accumulated in the cell nuclei with increasing age disappear with the natural death of the organism. Only a small percentage of spontaneously occurring mutations have positive effects; many mutations remain silent or only express themselves minimally or gradually.
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