point mutation

noun

Definition of point mutation

: a gene mutation involving the substitution, addition, or deletion of a single nucleotide base

Examples of point mutation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web If a point mutation makes the virus less likely to survive, that variant gradually dies off. — Vivek Ramaswamy, WSJ, 10 Jan. 2022 Antigenic drift is a gradual, varying process: A single-point mutation alters one peptide, or building block, of a larger protein. — Vivek Ramaswamy, WSJ, 10 Jan. 2022 Funding provided by the bike-a-thon has been put toward the development of 41 cancer drugs and the discovery of new medical techniques that can pin-point mutations that cause cancer, as well as other research efforts by the cancer center. — BostonGlobe.com, 20 Oct. 2019 But preliminary research by Navin and collaborators suggests that point mutations — changes to individual DNA letters — accumulate more slowly. — Quanta Magazine, 13 Nov. 2013 This flaw is especially problematic because tens of thousands of genetic diseases are results of such point mutations. — The Economist, 26 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'point mutation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Point mutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/point%20mutation. Accessed 25 Jun. 2022.

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