Description: A lethal mutation is a change in the genetic material of an organism that results in its death. These mutations can occur anywhere in the DNA and can affect essential genes for the organism’s survival. Lethal mutations can arise from various causes, including errors during DNA replication, exposure to mutagenic agents, or even as part of natural evolutionary processes. Often, these mutations manifest at early developmental stages, preventing the organism from reaching maturity. In some cases, lethal mutations can be recessive, meaning the organism must inherit two copies of the mutation for the lethal phenotype to be expressed. In other cases, they can be dominant, where only one copy of the mutated gene is needed to cause death. The identification and study of lethal mutations are crucial in fields such as genetics, evolutionary biology, and medicine, as they provide insights into the function of specific genes and their role in the survival and development of organisms.
