Block mutations are changes to segments of a chromosome, leading to large scale changes to the DNA of an organism
- Block mutations are commonly caused by transposons, which, by changing positions within the genome, alter gene sequence
Several types of block mutations exist, including:
- Duplications – part of chromosome is copied, resulting in duplicate sections (potentially increases gene expression)
- Deletions – a portion of the chromosome is removed (along with any genes contained within this segment)
- Inversions – a segment of a chromosome is removed and then replaced within the chromosome in reverse order
- Translocations – segments of two chromosomes are exchanged (may interrupt gene sequences)
Types of Block Mutations
