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Point Mutation

Definition

A point mutation is a type of mutation where a single nucleotide base is changed, inserted or deleted from a sequence of DNA or RNA.

Analogy

Imagine you're texting and autocorrect changes one letter in your message. The meaning can be completely different, right? That's what happens with point mutations - just one little change can have big effects!

Related terms

Frameshift Mutation: This is a genetic mutation caused by insertions or deletions of a number of nucleotides that are not divisible by three from the DNA sequence. It’s like removing or adding words to your text message, which could make it nonsensical.

Silent Mutation: This is a type of mutation where the change does not affect the function of the protein produced – like if autocorrect changes a word in your text but it doesn’t alter the overall meaning.

Missense Mutation: A missense mutation is when there's a change in one DNA base pair that results in substitution of one amino acid for another in the protein made by a gene. It’s as if autocorrect replaced one word with another unrelated word, changing your message entirely.