The process by which proteins are made, translation, is based on the 'reading' of mRNA that was produced via the process of transcription. Any changes to the DNA that encodes a gene will lead to an alteration of the mRNA produced. In turn, the altered mRNA may lead to the production of a protein that no longer functions properly. Even changing a single nucleotide along the DNA of a gene may lead to a completely non-functional protein.
There are several different ways DNA can be altered. The following pages describe the different types of genetic change in more detail.
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DNA Mutations - changes to the sequence of nucleotides in DNA
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Translocations - movements of large amounts of DNA, often at the level of the chromosome, to a different chromosome.
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Gene Amplification - production of many copies of a gene or set of genes at one location on a chromosome
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Inversions - segments of DNA are released from a chromosome and then re-inserted in the opposite orientation
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Duplications/Deletions - a gene or group of genes may be copied more than one time within a chromosome or lost entirely
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Aneuploidy - the loss or gain of entire chromosomes
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Epigenetic Changes - changes to the DNA and chromatin that do not change the sequence. While not actually a mutation in the classic sense, epigenetic changes can cause changes in the ways genes function and are frequently found in cancer.
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