As the diverse and intricate mechanisms of evolution have come to be understood, it has grown increasingly certain that the raw materials upon which they depend are the mutations of genes.

Thus, all mutations that affect the fitness of future generations are agents of evolution. Mutations are essential to evolution. Every genetic feature in every organism was, initially, the result ...

As the global population continues to grow, innovative solutions are needed to ensure food security. With limited land and ...

Is it possible to have "too many" mutations? What about "too few"? While mutations are necessary for evolution, they can damage existing adaptations as well. The statement that mutations are ...

View Full Profile. Learn about our Editorial Policies. Mutation: it’s the raw material for evolution. That makes knowing the rate at which it occurs crucial to the study of evolutionary biology.

How could a "bad" gene-- the mutation that causes the sometimes lethal sickle cell disease -- also be beneficial? On the other hand, if it didn't provide some survival advantage, why had the ...

However, it rarely occurs in other cancer types, thus highlighting the need for large-scale analysis of rare cancers to identify the distinct mutations that underpin their evolution.

DNA contains genes that carry instructions for the manufacture of a protein. If a mutation occurs in a gene that results in a change to the sequence of DNA bases, then the structure of the protein ...