deleterious mutation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "deleterious mutation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in discussions related to genetics, biology, or evolutionary science to describe a mutation that is harmful or detrimental to an organism. Example: "The study focused on identifying deleterious mutations that could lead to genetic disorders in the population."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Evolutionary theory predicts that mutational decay is inevitable for small asexual populations, provided deleterious mutation rates are high enough.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

For deleterious mutation rates and the evolution of sex see, for example, Kondrashov, A. S. 1988.

The New York Times

If the deleterious mutation rate is too high, asexuals will quickly go extinct.

The New York Times

The argument is that organisms with a deleterious mutation rate above a certain threshold must reproduce sexually.

The New York Times

For a brief review of evolutionary phenomena that may be driven by the deleterious mutation rate, see Kondrashov, A. S. 2001.

The New York Times

SIFT predicted one tolerated and one deleterious mutation, whereas PolyPhen flagged two mutations unknown.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

When I was 27 years old, four words changed my life: "Positive for a deleterious mutation".

Huffington Post

Nevertheless, in a subgroup of patients, the presence of a deleterious mutation may have phenotypic consequences.

Plosone

The MutPred tool calculates the probability of a deleterious mutation and corresponding hypothesis of disrupted molecular mechanism.

Plosone

The derived prediction of one deleterious mutation per generation seems unnaturally high in the light of relevant experimental results [17].

Plosone

The competitive ability of seeds decreased as the number of loci homozygote for the deleterious mutation increased.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing the impact of mutations, clearly specify the context and the particular gene or protein affected by the "deleterious mutation".

Common error

Avoid assuming that all mutations are "deleterious". Many mutations are neutral or even beneficial, so it's crucial to verify and specify the effects of each mutation under discussion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deleterious mutation" functions as a noun phrase, specifically an adjectival phrase followed by a noun. It describes a type of mutation that has a harmful effect. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is usable in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

80%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "deleterious mutation" is a commonly used term in genetics, biology, and medicine to describe a mutation that has a harmful effect on an organism. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It primarily functions as a noun phrase, serving to classify and describe specific types of genetic changes. The phrase is mostly found in formal and scientific contexts. Related phrases include "harmful mutation" and "detrimental mutation". When using this term, it's important to be specific about the context and affected genes. A common mistake is assuming all mutations are negative; therefore, always verify and specify the impact of the mutation being discussed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

harmful mutation

This alternative directly replaces "deleterious" with "harmful", maintaining a similar meaning.

detrimental mutation

This option uses "detrimental" instead of "deleterious", conveying a comparable negative impact.

damaging mutation

This phrase substitutes "deleterious" with "damaging", indicating an adverse effect.

negative mutation

Here, "negative" replaces "deleterious", broadly implying an unfavorable outcome.

disruptive mutation

This alternative highlights the mutation's capacity to interrupt normal function.

unfavorable mutation

This option uses "unfavorable" to describe the adverse nature of the mutation.

pathogenic variant

This term is often used in a medical context, referring to a genetic variant that causes disease.

disease-causing mutation

This alternative explicitly states that the mutation leads to disease.

loss-of-function mutation

This phrase refers to a mutation that results in the loss of a gene's normal function.

mutation with adverse effects

This is a more descriptive and general alternative, highlighting the negative consequences of the mutation.

FAQs

How is "deleterious mutation" used in a sentence?

A "deleterious mutation" is used to describe a genetic change that has a harmful effect on an organism. Example: "The study identified a "deleterious mutation" in the BRCA1 gene, increasing the risk of breast cancer."

What's a simple way to explain a "deleterious mutation"?

A "deleterious mutation" is essentially a genetic error that causes harm. It can impair the function of a gene or protein, leading to negative consequences for the cell or organism.

What can I say instead of "deleterious mutation"?

You can use alternatives like "harmful mutation", "detrimental mutation", or "damaging mutation" depending on the specific context.

What is the significance of identifying a "deleterious mutation"?

Identifying a "deleterious mutation" is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms, predicting genetic risks, and developing targeted therapies. It can also help in evolutionary studies to understand how populations adapt to changing environments.