Mutées

Mutées is a term used to refer to heritable changes in the genetic material of organisms. In genetics, a mutation denotes a change in the DNA sequence that may affect a single nucleotide, a segment of DNA, or the structure of chromosomes. Mutations arise from errors during DNA replication, repair failures, or exposure to mutagens such as radiation, chemicals, or certain viruses. Most mutations are neutral or deleterious, while a minority can be advantageous and become important through natural selection.

Types of mutations include gene mutations (such as point mutations that alter a single base, or synonymous and nonsynonymous changes that affect protein coding), insertions and deletions (indels) that shift reading frames or remove bases, copy-number variations, and larger chromosomal rearrangements or aneuploidy. Mutations can occur in somatic cells, where they are not inherited by offspring, or in germline cells, where they can be transmitted to future generations.

Detection and analysis of mutations rely on sequencing technologies, comparative genomics, and functional assays to determine effects on gene function, expression, or phenotype. The consequences of a mutation depend on its location, the affected gene, and the biological context. Some mutations disrupt essential processes and contribute to disease, others modify traits, and many have no noticeable effect.

Biological and medical relevance is wide: driver mutations are central to cancer development; mutations supply the genetic variation that fuels evolution; and inherited mutations underlie numerous genetic disorders. In some contexts, the term mutée or mutées appears in French-language science to describe mutated individuals or sequences, though English usage typically employs mutation or mutant.