Mutagenesis
Mutagenesis is the process of inducing mutations. Mutations may occur due to exposure to natural mutagens such as ultraviolet (UV) light, to industrial or environmental mutagens such as benzene or asbestos, or by deliberate mutagenesis for purposes of genetic research. For geneticists, the study of mutagenesis is important because mutants reveal the genetic mechanisms underlying heredity and gene expression. Mutations are also important for studying protein function: Often the importance of a protein cannot be characterized unless a mutant can be made in which that protein is absent.
Noninduced Mutagenic Agents
Environmental agents can influence the mutation rate not only by increasing it, but also by decreasing it. For example, antioxidants, which are found commonly in fruits and vegetables, are thought by many to protect against mutagens that are generated by normal cellular respiration. In addition to protective agents, however, many plants also contain deleterious mutagens known as carcinogens. Many chemical mutagens exist both naturally in the environment and as a result of human activity. Benzo(a)pyrene, for example, is produced by any incomplete burning, whether of tobacco in a cigarette or of wood in forest fires.
Spontaneous (noninduced) mutations are very rare, and finding them is difficult because most are recessive.
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