1.  Mutations are changes to the base pair sequence of the genetic material of an organism.  Mutations can be caused by copying errors in the genetic material during cell division, by exposure to ultraviolet or ionizing radiation, chemical mutagens, or viruses.

2.  Germ line mutations – can be passed on to descendants  Somatic mutations – cannot be transmitted to descendants

3.  Point mutation – where only one base in the gene is copied incorrectly during DNA replication. This would be an error of the DNA-building enzyme, DNA polymerase.

4.  Point mutation example: (A) Substitution – exchanges one base for another example: change in a single “chemical letter” such as switching an A to a G C T G G A G C T G G G G

5.  Frameshift – Since protein-coding DNA is divided into codons three bases long, insertions and deletions can alter a gene so that its message is no longer correctly read or translated. The fat cat sat hef atc ats at

6.  Frameshift mutations example: (A) Insertion – extra base pairs are inserted into a new place in DNA C T G G A G C T G G T G G A G

7.  Frameshift mutations example: (B) Deletion – a section of DNA is lost, or deleted C T G G A G C T A G