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Causes of mutations

OCR A-level BiologyGenetics and VariationLesson 6 of 36

Mutations occur spontaneously, usually during DNA replication. Mutagens are chemical, physical or biological agents that can cause or increase the rate of mutations. Ionising radiation such as X-rays can break DNA strands. Mutations may occur during the repair process.

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Key terms in this lesson

Mutation
A change in the base sequence of DNA.

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