Hugo De Vries

Hugo de Vries Father of Mutation theory of evolution.

According to de Vries’ mutation theory, living organisms can develop changes to their genes that greatly alter the organism. These changes are passed down to the next generation, and lead to the development of new species. Once a new species has evolved, it becomes fixed and stops changing.

On the basis of above observations, Hugo de Vries (1901) put forward a theory of evolution, called mutation theory. The theory states that evolution is a jerky process where new varieties and species are formed by mutations (discontinuous variations) that function as raw material of evolution.

Mutation can result in many different types of change in sequences. Mutations in genes can have no effect, alter the product of a gene, or prevent the gene from functioning properly or completely. Mutations can also occur in nongenic regions.

A Mutation occurs when a DNA gene is damaged or changed in such a way as to alter the genetic message carried by that gene. A Mutagen is an agent of substance that can bring about a permanent alteration to the physical composition of a DNA gene such that the genetic message is changed.

When we hear the word mutation, it conjures to mind hideous images of human-fish hybrids that might come swimming away from Chernobyl, animals with two heads and Caesar from Planet of The Apes. Mutations are the mechanism behind evolution, and the reason behind cancer and certain hereditary diseases.

A mutation is a change that occurs in our DNA sequence, either due to mistakes when the DNA is copied or as the result of environmental factors such as UV light and cigarette smoke. Mutations can also occur as the result of exposure to environmental factors such as smoking, sunlight and radiation.

Single base pair mutations can be identified by any of the following methods: Direct sequencing, which involves identifying each individual base pair, in sequence, and comparing the sequence to that of the normal gene.

Beneficial Mutations They lead to new versions of proteins that help organisms adapt to changes in their environment. Beneficial mutations are essential for evolution to occur. They increase an organism’s changes of surviving or reproducing, so they are likely to become more common over time.

Some chemical mutagens have not been linked to cancer. If they are not 100% known to cause cancer, these chemicals are just referred to as mutagens, not carcinogens. To avoid mutations, we need to limit exposure to these chemicals by using protective equipment, like masks and gloves, when working with them.

Sometimes, gene variants (also known as mutations) prevent one or more proteins from working properly. By changing a gene’s instructions for making a protein, a variant can cause a protein to malfunction or to not be produced at all.

The main difference between gene mutation and chromosomal mutation is that gene mutation is an alteration of the nucleotide sequence of a gene whereas chromosomal mutation is an alteration of the structure or number of chromosomes.

Mutations are changes in the DNA of an organism. Mutations can be beneficial, benign, or malignant, depending on where in the genetic code they are located. Examples of beneficial mutations include HIV resistance, lactose tolerance, and trichromatic vision.