Ilustração de Point mutation, illustration

Computer graphic illustration depicting a point mutation. A point mutation is a genetic mutation where a single nucleotide base is changed, inserted or deleted from a sequence of DNA or RNA. Point mutations have a variety of effects on the downstream protein product consequences that are moderately predictable based upon the specifics of the mutation. These consequences can range from benign (e.g. synonymous mutations) to catastrophic (e.g. frameshift mutations), with regard to protein production, composition, and function.