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Chromosome structure mutations

Chromosome structure mutations are alterations that affect whole chromosomes and whole genes rather than just individual nucleotides.

These mutations result from errors in cell division that cause a section of a chromosome to break off, be duplicated or move onto another chromosome.

Chromosome structure mutation

Chromosome structure mutations can be one of four types:

  • deletion is where a section of a chromosome is removed.
  • translocation is where a section of a chromosome is added to another chromosome that is not its homologous partner.
  • inversion is where a section of a chromosome is reversed.
  • duplication occurs when a section of a chromosome is added from its homologous partner.

Chromosome mutations are often lethal as the chromosome structure is altered.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 4, Normal chromosome structure, Normal chromosome structure.

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