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Genome and mutationsChromosome structure mutations

DNA replication is carefully controlled to preserve the genetic information. However, changes in the genome do sometimes occur. These changes are known as mutations.

Part of Human BiologyHuman Cells

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.