What is a genetic mutation?

A genetic mutation refers to a change in the DNA sequence that can lead to alterations in the genetic information of an organism. This change can occur in various forms, such as substitutions, deletions, or insertions of nucleotides within the DNA sequence. Mutations can affect a single nucleotide (point mutations) or larger sections of the genome and can have various effects on an organism, ranging from no impact at all to significant changes in phenotype or disease susceptibility.

Understanding that a mutation specifically involves alterations at the molecular level is fundamental in genetics. This concept is central to the study of biology, as it underpins mechanisms of evolution, genetic diversity, and the development of certain diseases. Other choices refer to processes that do not define mutations; for instance, cell division is a process of cell replication rather than a change in genetic coding, and methods of energy production or increases in gene expression relate to cellular functions, not genetic alterations.