mutate

Mutate is a verb meaning to cause to become different or to undergo a change. In biology, mutation refers to a heritable change in an organism’s genetic material, usually in DNA.

Mutations arise from random errors during DNA replication or from exposure to mutagens such as radiation or certain chemicals. They can affect a single nucleotide or larger stretches of DNA. Point mutations include substitutions, insertions, and deletions. Chromosomal mutations involve rearrangements such as duplications, deletions, inversions, or translocations. Mutations can occur in germ cells, which are passed to offspring, or in somatic cells, which affect an individual but are not inherited.

Mutations contribute to genetic variation and are a primary source of evolutionary change. Effects range from neutral to harmful (deleterious) to occasionally beneficial, depending on the environment and other genes. The mutation rate describes how often new mutations occur, typically measured per generation or per nucleotide. Detection and study of mutations rely on genetic sequencing and comparative analysis. In medicine, mutations can underlie inherited diseases, influence susceptibility to conditions, or affect treatment responses. In virology, high mutation rates can drive rapid adaptation.

In computing, the term mutate is used in evolutionary algorithms and genetic programming to describe a mutation operation that introduces random changes to candidate solutions. This mirrors biological mutation in purpose—exploring new possibilities—but it is a computational mechanism designed for optimization rather than heredity.