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Mutation review[edit]

“By effect on structure” and “By effect on protein sequence” are similar

  • “By effect on protein sequence” mentions frameshift, nonsense, missense, neutral, and silent mutations, which were previously covered (for the most part) in “By effect on structure.”

"Distribution of fitness effects” is distracting

  • This section is definitely valuable and pertinent to the topic; however, I feel that it is covered in excess. Also, there seems to be a lot of citations concentrated in this section - more so than other sections.

"Replication timing quantitative trait loci affects DNA replication”

  • The sentence does not mention how DNA replication is affected. A preference is shown toward transversional point mutations. Also, there appear to be sexual differences in structural mutation abundance caused by recombination at early replicating genome segments. [1]

Example of a harmful mutation given in “Beneficial mutations”

  • The final paragraph of the “Beneficial mutations” section lists sickle-cell disease as an example of a harmful mutation. I believe sickle-cell disease should be discussed in “Harmful mutations,” while the sickle-cell trait should be covered in “Beneficial mutations.”
Hi JJCim, I could not agree with you more. In my edit I suggested that a section should be added to discuss harmful mutations and mutants. I believe this would add to the overall neutrality of the paper and allow for a more well-rounded work for a reader to experience.--Zach bramlett (talk) 18:59, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]
I also agree with this. Maybe clarify and explain that the heterozygous genotype is a "Beneficial mutations", but the homozygous genotype should be still listed under "Harmful Mutations". The heterozygous genotype provides the antimalarial affects without many complications due to formal Sickle Cell Disease. Hrc13d (talk) 22:17, 30 March 2017 (UTC) [2][reply]

Mutation repair?

  • I believe there needs to be more information related to how mutations are located and fixed within organisms. I.e., Photoreactivation repair, base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, etc.

JJCim (talk) 21:48, 29 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Hi JJCim, I agree that there needs to be a much deeper coverage on how mutagens are located and fixed within organisms, I think that in terms of this article article that focusses mainly on mutants, that the best way to incorporate this edit would be to incorporate a summation sentence mentioning how specific mutations can be traced to particular locations and fixed. The use of a hyperlink and a citation would be best in my opinion, because if the reader was interested in such a topic it would stray away from the article at hand.--Zach bramlett (talk) 18:55, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

In the Etymology section, there are several unnecessary links to words that do not need to be explained and have nothing to do with mutations. For example, the links to the words "pejorative" and "spurt" should not have links attached to them. Additionally, I would remove the sentences from "conjoined twins" on because after making the distinction between mutations and developmental abnormalities there is no further need to explain developmental abnormalities, and these sentences do not serve the purpose of explaining the etymology of the word mutant. The section itself should be short as the meaning of the word is not really that important to the overall content of the mutant page. Tst13d (talk) 00:43, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Mutant notes and comments for improvement[edit]

I feel that the term “genetic mutants” should be classified as being part of a broader mutation classification. Namely, germline mutants or somatic mutants.

Also, the Mutant page seemed to be very one-sided because it only mentioned the benefits of being a mutant species. While evolution is based on higher degrees of fitness through genetic diversity and mutation, not all mutations are beneficial. As a matter of fact, the Mutation Wikipedia page cites 70% of mutations as being harmful.

Moreover, even though the page made it seem like all mutant species were more fit, the blue lobster picture does not provide any information about the organism’s fitness. I agree with Brittaney96

JJCim (talk) 22:50, 29 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The mutant page is indeed very one-sided and only has a section regarding the benefits of genetic mutation, when in reality the majority of mutations do not affect the overall organism, and if they do they are usually harmful. The lack of information on negative mutations is the page's biggest flaw, as most mutants have lower fitness--Nal15b (talk) 21:19, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

"This means for a species to exist within this ecosystem, they must be able to adapt to whatever environmental cues they are given[4]." The in-text citation is not properly cited. Although the in-text citation is listed as [4], a proper connection to the actual citation under references is not made. The other in-text citations are linked to the corresponding number under "References", but this in-text citation is not. Nickvar (talk) 02:17, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Insert Photo for Eukaryotic Protein-Coding Gene[edit]

I suggested that a photo of a eukaryotic protein-coding gene undergoing transcription, splicing, and translation should be added to the mutation page. I feel it's important to insert this, so readers can see when mutations could potentially happen in the ORF. We drew something like this is class as well. I'm having trouble finding a super reliable source. I've found two pages that reference to this image on google scholar; however, none of them are primary literature.

File:OjYRouN.jpg

[3] [4]

Solt.kristen (talk) 12:56, 20 March 2017 (UTC)Kristen Solt KBS14C[reply]

File:/Users/kristensolt/Downloads/OjYRouN.jpg

Reformat citation[edit]

"Another example of this is during the [industrial revolution]. During this massive increase in factories and other facilities, there was an influx in air pollution within many different environments. This influx caused a massive change in many ecosystems. The peppered-moth, shown here 1, had a body color of white, which aided it in blending well within its environment to avoid predators. Unfortunately because of the influx of air pollution, the trees it would hide in started turning darker and darker because of the black smock coming from the factories. A mutant species spawned of the peppered-moth, bearing a black-skin phenotype that allowed the new moths to hide in the darker environment better than the white moths could. This allowed for a higher survival rate of the black-skin moths, and a dwindling of the white-skin moths.[8][5][6][7][4][8][5]"

I felt that this paragraph was necessary, however the citations were a bit of a mess. I would recommend spacing out the citations to where the material belongs, instead of there being a tail of stations at the end of the paragraph. For example, If one of the citations is saying that the body color aids for avoiding predators, there should be a citation behind that. If I'm seeing this wrong and al of those citations are saying the same thing (as in 5 sources supporting that paragraph), then I think the best one or two should be decided of these citations.

(talk) 21:58, 30 March 2017 (UTC)Kristen Solt KBS14C[reply]

See also: evolution[edit]

I feel like the see also tab should have a link to evolution since mutants are the base organisms for evolution.

    • Minor Edit*

Solt.kristen (talk) 02:30, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Insert Photo of Types of Mutation[edit]

I suggested that a set of photos be added right beneath the "By Impact on Protein Sequence" section. These images will help better explain these different types of mutations. Each images are very easy to understand and will help explain the written text. I have found these images on a website for a Biology Course from Eberly College of Science from PennState. [5]

Brandon0325 (talk) 10:19, 21 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree. I believe it will be most useful to show how insertions/deletions affect multiple codons instead of one. Perhaps a graphic that shows how all codons are affected after the deletion/insertion similar to the graphic given in the Powerpoint lecture. Hrc13d (talk) 02:29, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Mutant Blue Lobster on Mutant Page[edit]

The picture of the blue lobster presented in the right hand corner of the mutant page, is lacking a good description. While to many it may be obvious that the reason it is being called a mutant is because of its deviation of a "normal" red color, I think it should still be made clear for those that don't know that.

Brittaney McdonaldBrittaney96 (talk) 12:17, 24 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with this edit. Maybe a picture of the wild-type red lobster should be added to compare the phenotypic differences between the wild-type organism and mutant organism. Nickvar (talk) 02:26, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree to an extent. I think it should be made clear that lobsters are natrually red, but I feel there is no need to add a picture of a red, wild-type lobster. Just edit the description to say something like, "The blue lobster is an example of a mutant because the wild-type (normal) color is red." Kjc15c (talk) 21:02, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I also agree - the picture seems to represent a more stereotypical idea of a mutant. An explanation and comparison to wild-type can help explain the term easily and quickly when people view the page. The picture of variations in leaf type is much more descriptive and helpful for understanding what a mutant truly is. Skyle920 (talk) 03:55, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Sources of Mutation[edit]

I think it is important to add a new section detailing the various sources causing mutations. The section would detail spontaneous mutation (via depurination and deamination), induced mutations with a list of mutagens (fungal toxins, cosmic rays, UV light, industrial pollutants, x-rays, chemicals, radiation, etc..) Tst13d (talk) 21:25, 29 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with this suggestion. Adding this section as well as images of UV light and differences between the spontaneous mutations would further this wiki page but I could not find reliable sources for these images. I suggested that sources of UV light be included. Sjgenetics (talk) 15:36, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with both Sigenetics as well as Tst13d that and additional section mentioning the various sources causing mutations would be a great addition to this article. I would suggest implementing the new section directly after Etymology. The section would build upon the last sentence mentioned in that section which described mutagens. Titling the next section Mutagen types and then digressing into a description of fungal toxins, Cosmic Rays, UV light, pollutants and X-rays would give the reader a better understanding of how mutants come to be.--Zach bramlett (talk) 19:13, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]


I agree that more details should be provided on the various sources causing mutagens. Hh14b (talk) 21:46, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Harmful Mutations[edit]

Underneath the section that details benefits of mutant species, just to contrast the drastic effects mutations can have I would add a new section titled harmful mutations. It would begin describing how mutations cause formation of incomplete or non-functioning proteins which can have damaging phenotypic effects on organisms. For instance, I would include the following "The disease sickle cell anemia in humans is caused by a single amino acid substitution of valine for glutamic acid, but the structure of the polypeptide hemoglobin changes to a deformed sickle-shape which damages its ability to deliver oxygen to bodily tissues. [6] Tst13d (talk) 22:02, 29 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]


You could also add in this section about how these mutations effect the sexual reproduction outcome for certain species. If a fly cannot fly then that can effect its chances at reproduction. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Haley miller97 (talkcontribs) 02:12, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

different types of mutants[edit]

I would add a section that included different types of mutants and how they either benefit or suffer from their mutation. The only good example given on the page is at the end of the "Benefits of Mutant Species" section when they talk about the peppered moth and how it mutated to a different color to survive during the industrial revolution. I agree with JJCim and Tst13d that this section should also include mutants that suffer from their mutation because more often than not mutation are harmful to the organism.Rlarsen14 (talk) 14:04, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Mutations edit[edit]

I believe the page needs more examples for these mutations and needs to include the ways in which these mutations can be shown. This will in turn help the reader to understand the concepts better as well as see these terms in a larger scale. For example adding where gain and loss of function mutations can be found in organisms can allow the audience to see the bigger picture. I gave an example of cystic fibrosis and where the mutation occurs. Another suggestion I gave was adding a way in which silent mutations can be found by using different codons that code for the Leucine. Sjgenetics (talk) 15:03, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Mutant Edit[edit]

Although I think that knowing the benefits of mutant species is important, I also think it’s important to know and understand the different types of mutations that can occur. Knowing the difference between a point mutation and a frameshift mutation is important because the frameshift mutation could lead to severe problems due to shifting the entire reading frame. I also think it’s essential for the reader to know that these mutations can be reversed or "fixed". Adding the role of DNA polymerase III which is to proofread and remove nucleotides that are inserted incorrectly is a good piece of information to add. Mk13m (talk) 15:36, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with this information. Most of it can be found on the Mutations wiki page, so I would suggest adding the Mutations wiki page as a link under the "See also" section. While the above information can be included as supplemental information on the Mutant page, I think it would be beneficial to simply link the page that already has the information included Nickvar (talk) 02:02, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Summary Edit[edit]

I believe there to be a run on sentence in the beginning of the summary that could be cleaned up and changed for better clarification. "Mutations result from errors during DNA replication or other types of damage to DNA, which then may undergo error-prone repair (especially microhomology-mediated end joining[1][1]), or cause an error during other forms of repair,[2][2][3][3] or else may cause an error during replication (translesion synthesis)." I would change this sentence, keeping the majority of the content but making it flow better. "Mutations result from errors during DNA replication or damage caused by environmental effects. The errors in the DNA sequence then may undergo error-prone repair (especially microhomology-mediated end joining[1][1]), cause an error during other forms of repair,[2][2][3][3] or may cause an error during replication (translesion synthesis). Brandond0325 (talk) 16:15, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Insertion/Deletion Edit[edit]

Under the "Classifications of types" of Mutations it is not mentioned that, while these types of mutation can be very severe, if nucleotide bases are either inserted or deleted in sets of three, there could be less harmful.

Brandond0325 (talk) 16:21, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Induced Mutation[edit]

While the page includes UV radiation, a type of non-ionizing radiation, under it's induced mutation sources it should also include ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation, such as gamma rays, can cause mutations as well. [7] -jdw13b, Jacob Warren

Mutation proposed Edit[edit]

1. Review section The review section mentions the the natural occurrence of mutations. I think that it should also be mentioned that mutations can occur through unnatural processes as well as mentioning that mutants can come to be through polygenic or monogenic mutations.

2. There should be an additional section implemented after the Etymology section that builds upon the last sentence which talks about Mutagens. The section could be titled : Mutagen types. It should include things like. fungal toxins (with a brief description) Cosmic Rays (with a brief description) UV light (with a brief description) Pollutants (With a brief description) X-rays (with a brief decription)

3. There should be an additional section added after benefits of Mutants that describe the Negative or harmful effects of mutant species. It should include things like lethality of mutations that in addition to competition that mutations cause among species as well as eradication of species due to increased competition The addition of this section would add to the neutrality of the work so instead of the reader just being exposed to mutant benefits they are able to see the negative aspects as well.

4. Citation 2 mentioned in the review should be removed or changed to represent another section that uses examples to better explain the concept of mutants. The particular citation involves clock mutants of drosophilia melongaster. This would better serve the article if included in a section titled examples of mutations. this source would work better [8] --Zach bramlett (talk) 21:40, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Your four suggested edits are spot on in my opinion. The page should elaborate on the ways mutants can come into existence, the mutagens that can cause the genetic changes, and the negative aspects of mutations (considering mutations are rarely positive). In addition, a section containing examples of both human and animal mutants such as turner syndrome and munchkin cats would provide the reader with a clearer sense of what constitutes a mutant organism--Nal15b (talk) 22:02, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Examples of Human Mutants[edit]

I feel that the mutant page itself is very short and when most people think of mutant in humans they think of super heroes so to clarify what real world occurrences of mutant humans. This would include;

klinefelter syndrome - an extra X chromosome in human males
turner syndrome- a female with only one X chromosome
hypertrichosis- the result of hair growth all over the body
methemoglobinemia- a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the body leading to blue skin
extra digits in limbs 

each of these accompanied by photo examples --Mamesimer (talk) 21:28, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree that human examples would help better explain the concept of mutants. Here are some links to pictures of a few of the phenotypic mutations listed above http://healthool.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/hypertrichosis-pictures-2.jpg http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Turner-Syndrome-Photos.html--Nal15b (talk) 21:55, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Spread of mutations[edit]

I believe that there should be more details on how mutations spread and eventually become prevalent. Bacterial recombination could be discussed, in which a mutation could occur before conjugation,transduction, or transformation, which causes it to spread. Hh14b (talk) 21:49, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with this edit. Kjc15c (talk) 21:14, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Nonsense Mutation[edit]

Add examples of mutations it could cause. Another wiki page listed that " Nonstop mutations have been linked with several congenital diseases including congenital adrenal hyperplasia,[18] variable anterior segment dysgenesis,[19] and mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy.[20]"Hh14b (talk) 21:57, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with this edit. Kjc15c (talk) 21:18, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Images[edit]

Tautomerism- include images to make it clearer

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Tautomers.svg/512px-Tautomers.svg.png

This is a good image that could be included. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hh14b (talkcontribs) 22:04, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Adding types of Mutants[edit]

I agree that adding different types of Mutants are important as well. I suggested adding a small paragraph that gave a description of conditional lethal mutant we learned in class. As well as giving the example: Temperature Sensitive in the paragraph. Sjgenetics (talk) 22:22, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I also suggested a linkage to the mutations page since the mutagen page lacked explanations that describe where mutagens stem from. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sjgenetics (talkcontribs) 23:34, 30 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Insert Photos for the Spontaneous Mutation section[edit]

I suggest adding two photos in the "Spontaneous Mutation" section. These photos illustrate deamination and depurination which are the most common causes of spontaneous mutations, as we learned in class. The photos i have attached here are from a genetics textbook "An Introduction to Genetic Analysis". these pictures are listed in the textbook as Figures 16-7 (for depurination) and 16-8 (for deamination).[9].

Depurination Picture: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21897/figure/A2720/?report=objectonly

Deamination Picture: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21897/figure/A2721/?report=objectonly

--Ray Devan (talk) 00:02, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Induced Mutation[edit]

I suggest adding Fungal Toxins as its own bullet point under the "chemicals" section of induced mutation. While the section does include "ochratoxin A" as an example for "Agents that form DNA adducts", it does not clearly state fungal toxin as the mutation source.

Additionally, i would suggest expanding some of the bullet points under induced mutation to give brief explanations. This would help maintain consistency as only some of the induced mutations have extra text info while others are simple left as linked bullet points. --Ray Devan (talk) 00:13, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Classification of types: human examples[edit]

I would suggest adding examples for the effects of "substitution mutations" in the respective section. I would recommend Achondroplasia as an example for a Missense Mutation and add Marfan syndrome as an exmaple for a nonsense mutation. Achondroplasia is a missense mutation that causes abnormally short stature in affected individuals[10]. Marfan Syndrome is a nonsense mutation that causes people to be unusually tall and thin[11].These examples, possibly accompanied with pictures, would aid in understanding the effects of substitution mutations. --Ray Devan (talk) 00:32, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Somatic Mutations[edit]

I feel like this area is lacking in some information, so I would add this content to it.

The reason that it is not inherited by offspring is because somatic mutations can not occur in germ cells. Germ cells include egg and sperm cells. Somatic mutations in early stages of life can cause developmental issues. Somatic mutations build up over time it can lead to cancer and contribute to aging. Somatic evolution in cancer is helping us better understand how normal cells can turn cancerous. [12]

Haley miller97 (talk) 02:50, 31 March 2017 (UTC)hmm15d[reply]

I agree with this edit. The source might be outdated. Kjc15c (talk) 21:21, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Classification of Types[edit]

  • Change "Neomorph is characterized by the control of new protein product synthesis" to "Neomorph is characterized by the control of new protein product synthesis or modifying existing protein synthesis to give new protein structure." Hrc13d (talk) 02:11, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]


DNA Repair System[edit]

The wikipedia mentions that mutation repairs are done by "DNA repair systems in the cell" but doesn't go into much detail. We should add information regarding DNA Polymerase' role in DNA repair and how these enzymes detect DNA mutations. The current Wikipedia text is very ambiguous regarding DNA repair. Hrc13d (talk) 02:19, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Mutant Photos[edit]

The photo about the plants on the side of the page is very specific. I feel like it does not tie into any of the context that is stated on the page. Therefore I would delete this photo from the page because it does not make a whole lot of sense. I saw others on this page post way better pictures, so I would replace it with one of those.

by hmm15d — Preceding unsigned comment added by Haley miller97 (talkcontribs) 02:46, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Haley miller97 (talk) 02:50, 31 March 2017 (UTC)hmm15d[reply]

Mutant Article Review[edit]

The Etymology section is missing a great deal of citations, especially for stated facts and definitions such as: "Previously, people used the word "sport" ... to refer to abnormal specimens." Who used the term and when exactly? What is the source for this information?

Many sources missing throughout.

Consider including sources of mutation such as mutagens or types of mutation and their effects.

Skyle920 (talk) 03:50, 31 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Additional information for mutations in the protein sequence.[edit]

I think that the mutant page does not provide an ample amount of information regarding the type of mutations that occur on a protein scale that result in a variation form the wild type. I am suggesting an edit to the Mutants page of adding a sub section on the "Changing protein sequence" including the type of mutation that modify it. The components of this sections would include "frameshift mutation", "nonsense mutation", "missense mutations", "neutral mutations", and "silent mutations". Each of these components will have a corresponding short definition and photos, as well as a hyperlink to a through page regarding each term. For example:

Nonsense mutation[Mutation]: A point change that modified a codon between the beginning and end of the sequence to be read as a stop codon, resulting in the termination of the sequence at this codon. The follwing exmaple is quoted from the "Nonsense mutations" Wikipedia page and visually explains the result of a nonsense mutation.

  " DNA: 5' - ATG ACT CAC TGA GCG CGA AGC TGA - 3'
        3' - TAC TGA GTG ACT CGC GCT TCG ACT - 5'
  mRNA: 5' - AUG ACU CAC UGA GCG CGU AGC UGA - 3'

Protein: Met Thr His Stop"

MikeMichalik (talk) 03:36, 1 April 2017 (UTC)Michael Michalik[reply]

I agree with this; however, this information is already presented in the Mutation page. I think that you could mention these types of mutations by name and explain that they are covered in the Mutation page, then link to that page. I do like the idea of providing examples but I think this would serve better on the "Mutation" page rather than the "Mutant" page. --Pousson m (talk) 03:00, 7 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Causes of Mutation[edit]

The section named causes of mutations explains the different types of mutations, and gives examples of the specific types of mutations but it does not discuss the actual sources of mutation. Perhaps a clearer explanation would clear up the confusion. Bnn15b (talk) 20:59, 2 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Lethal Mutation[edit]

I believe that the small description for lethal mutations should be rewritten as " are mutations that lead to the death of the organisms." instead of "lead to the death of the organisms that carry the mutations". The end sounds repetitive because it is already known that it is a mutation. Arueda15 (talk) 00:09, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I believe it would be more helpful to also include that a lethal mutation is also an allele and whether or not it is recessive or dominant. Arueda15 (talk) 16:50, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree to both comments! I feel that the Lethal Mutation at the moment is very general and makes the reader believe that the phenotype is what kills the organism, rather than the allele for the genotype. Should also mention the diversity of the allele and how it changes across different organisms, ie not a uniform mode of inheritance (can be dominant, recessive, conditional, etc). Rowantoinette (talk) 20:36, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Examples of Mutations[edit]

I think it would be helpful to have examples of induced mutations, spontaneous mutations, etc to give the reader a better idea of how severe a change in the genetic sequence can be. These can also be used as hyperlinks to other Wikipedia pages. For example: More than 99% of ultraviolet radiation is absorbed through the front of the eyes and may lead to cataracts, corneal damage, and mancular degeneration. Prolonged exposure over time will ultimately lead to blindness. Other negative effects in the eyes can include intraocular melanomas, a type of skin cancer within the eye which occur on the whites of the eyes. [13] --Ler14b (talk) 00:54, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Mutation Rate[edit]

I believe the article needs to expand on Mutation Rate a bit more extensively rather than putting up one vague sentence and then a link to another article specifically on Mutation Rates. If we are introducing Mutation as a whole, then Mutation Rate must also be explained, albeit briefly. This section should firstly include a summary statement on what rate of mutation is, and how mutation rates vary depending on the type of mutation that occurs. Should also include the general units that measure rate, and some factors that are hypothesized to affect mutation rates, maybe using specific case studies to highlight common or important trends. Then it would be appropriate to mention the statement currently provided that it is an area of ongoing investigation. Rowantoinette (talk) 19:28, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Most of this information is already present in the linked article, but it is good to provide a general overview when looking at this Mutation article. Rowantoinette (talk) 19:29, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Nomenclature[edit]

The initial sentences in the Nomenclature section are very wordy and repetitive, and should be reworded for a more concise and easy to understand explanation. A proposed reworded first paragraph is:

  • "Mutation nomenclature assists in specifying the type of mutation in a genome, such as base changes, or for protein coding regions, the resulting amino acid changes. In order for a mutation to be recognized and classified, the wild-type DNA sequence of the healthy organism must be known and reported. Once identified, and agreed upon by the scientific community, it is known as the "consensus sequence", or the standard Wild Type DNA sequence. Once established, the variants (mutations) can be located and identified. Researchers and DNA diagnostic centers use the nomenclature system proposed by the the committee of the Human genome Variation Society (HGVS)[14] (see also HGVS-nomenclature consortium at [15]) as a way to classify variant human genome sequences. This system helps scientists create unambiguous mutation descriptions, and is applicable to other organisms."

Rowantoinette (talk) 20:32, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with this edit. The reworded version proposed is excellent in my opinion. You captured the essentials of nomenclature and left out superfluous details. Kjc15c (talk) 21:01, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]
I further edited this improved 1st paragraph of the "nomenclature" section (HWB) Hankwbass (talk) 12:59, 5 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]
In addition to these edits, I believe it would further be beneficial for the "Nomenclature" section to be moved higher up on the page. If it's moved above any initial mention of the types of mutations, I believe the section would better serve it's purpose. Specifically, I think it would be best to move it between the "Description" and "Causes" sections to provide insight on the sections below it.Tb13x (talk) 04:01, 30 April 2017 (UTC)tb13x[reply]

Transposable Elements[edit]

There is a mention of transposable elements in the "Mutation" page while talking about insertions. The page says, "[insertions] are usually caused by transposable elements, or errors during replication of repeating elements." While this is generally true, I feel like "errors during replication" is not a good enough description of what transposable elements are. Maybe say something like, "[insertions] are usually caused by transposable elements, or genes that can move ("jump") within and between chromosomes. This movement leads to errors during replication of repeating elements." Kjc15c (talk) 21:02, 4 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with this edit. I think this adds clarity to what transposons are/do, whereas before it was a bit misleading. --Pousson m (talk) 02:39, 7 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Heritability of Mutations[edit]

In the second paragraph of the Etymology section of the Mutant page, it mentions that developmental abnormalities are not heritable. Given that sentence, it is unclear whether or not mutations are heritable. I think there should be a brief sentence or two explaining that mutations are heritable in germ cells but not in somatic cells. Add a link to germline mutation. --Pousson m (talk) 02:31, 7 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

First seen image[edit]

I believe that the image at the very top of the article regarding "evolutionary biology" could be replaced with a more encompassing image that could be more insightful about mutations. For example, a simple image of DNA showing any sort of nucleotide rearrangement. Mutations are generally associated with genetics so it makes more sense to initially show an image that deals with genes. In my opinion, if an image regarding evolution is used at the very beginning of the article next to the general summary, there should be an entire section dedicated to explaining the influence mutations have on evolution (which is not included in the page).Tb13x (talk) 03:32, 30 April 2017 (UTC)tb13x[reply]

Mutations and Mendelian Genetics[edit]

The laws proposed by Gregory Mendel regarding patterns and methods of genetic inheritance are key concepts when studying genetics. Mendel proposed theories and laws based on experiments focused on alleles that shaped what we know and understand about genetics as a whole [16]. Considering that mutations are a critical subject within genetics, it seems very practical to me to include a section on how Mendel's ideas and mutations are intertwined. In addition to this, Mendelian genetics plays a large role in our understanding of evolution and gene expression (both topics closely related to mutations). Therefore, I believe it would be helpful to include a reference or section related to Mendel's work and the role mutations play in his laws of inheritance. This could be included within the sub-section of "By inheritance" under the section "Classification of types". It may also be useful to include a link to the Wikipedia page on Mendelian inheritance [17].Tb13x (talk) 04:49, 30 April 2017 (UTC)tb13x[reply]

Role of mutations in agricultural production[edit]

I believe that a section or subsection regarding "mutation breeding" needs to be included in this article. It could contain information regarding the history and role that mutations play in the creation process of GMOs. Considering that GMOs have become a popular topic of research and discussion in our society, it is a relevant topic for discussion in mutation genetics and should be included in an article providing all-encompassing information on mutations. Induced mutation, in the form of both chemical and radiation induction, is an important method in creating and breeding genetically modified food [18]. The term "crop mutagenesis" (Jankowicz-Cieslak, 2017) could be used to describe the application of induced mutations in crop production. The numerous benefits from crop mutagenesis, including a predictable, more easily controlled and manipulated method of production, played a significant role in the field of agriculture [19]. To remain objective, standpoints on the disadvantages or existing concerns should also be mentioned. Tb13x (talk) 06:12, 30 April 2017 (UTC)tb13x[reply]

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