At the same time there aren't many mutations that can make us a whole lot smarter.
Retroviruses slip genes into chromosomes at random, sometimes causing mutations that can make normal cells turn into cancers.
The theory emerged in part from thinking about events other than mutations that can change gene behavior.
It urges women to consider being tested for certain genetic mutations that can sharply increase the risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer.
A growing number of others arrive with drug-resistant mutations that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat.
Scientists can now use the technology to create genetic mutations that can be activated at specific time points, or in specific cells or organs, both during development and in the adult animal, the Nobel citation said.
And of course, even if you manage to avoid the dreaded E. coli, you have to worry about the cancer-causing mutations that can be caused by eating charred meat.
Radiation at any level is a uniquely potent cause of chromosome mutations that can lead to so-called irregularly inherited disorders like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, Alaheimer's disease and many, many more.
Mutations that can arise in this way are called 'missense mutations'.
Mutations in this gene are responsible for germline mutations that can induce cancer.
Left unchecked, such damage can lead to genetic mutations that can trigger cancer.
