What is a genetic variation?
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Genetic variation refers to the differences in the genetic makeup of individuals within a population or among different populations. These variations can occur at different levels, including the chromosomal, protein, or DNA sequence level . Genetic variations play significant roles in medical research and have implications for disease risk, drug efficacy, and adverse events . They can also affect the health and wellbeing of an individual, including the composition and heterogeneity of microbiota . Genetic variations can be beneficial, such as increasing bone density or developing resistance to malaria, but they can also be associated with diseases like cancer and genetic disorders . Understanding genetic variations is crucial for studying population history, structure, and evolution, as well as for personalized medicine and therapeutic approaches .
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| Papers (4) | Insight |
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| Genetic variations are changes or differences in the DNA sequence of an organism's genes. | |
| The provided paper does not explicitly define genetic variation. The paper focuses on the development of a computational approach to map genetic modifiers of gene regulatory networks. | |
11 Jun 2021 | Genetic variations are differences in our genomic sequences that have played significant roles in medical research. They include germline variants, somatic mutations, and diversities in receptor genes of immune cells. |
| Genetic variation refers to the differences in genetic material (chromosomes, proteins, or DNA sequences) among individuals within populations and among different populations. |
Related Questions
What are the primary sources of genetic variability used by plant breeders for crop improvement?5 answersPlant breeders primarily utilize spontaneous mutations, induced mutations, and genetic variations in physiological and molecular traits to enhance crop improvement. Spontaneous mutations, arising naturally from various sources like radiations, contribute to genetic diversity essential for evolution and selection. Induced mutations, induced by physical or chemical mutagens, create rapid genetic diversity, aiding in crop improvement programs. Genetic variations in physiological traits such as growth, leaf characteristics, and floral traits, along with molecular traits like enzyme expression and metabolites, play a crucial role in breeding programs for developing heat-resilient crop varieties. Harnessing these genetic variations is key to adapting plants to changing environmental conditions and developing superior cultivars with desired traits.
How the genomic variations could affect the genes?5 answersGenomic variations can affect genes through various mechanisms. One mechanism is the presence of trans-acting variants, which are DNA variants located on different chromosomes from the genes they affect. These variants can alter gene expression and contribute to phenotypic variation. Another mechanism is structural genomic rearrangements, such as deletions, duplications, and inversions, which can lead to changes in gene copy number and contribute to genomic diversity. Additionally, regulatory variants in non-coding regions of the genome can affect gene expression by influencing promoter usage and enhancer activity. Furthermore, variants in microRNA binding regions can disrupt the normal regulation of mRNA gene expression, leading to cascading biological effects. Overall, these findings highlight the diverse ways in which genomic variations can impact gene expression and contribute to the variability of complex traits and diseases.
What is variability?4 answersVariability refers to the extent to which data values differ from each other or from their average. It can also be described as diversity, uncertainty, dispersion, or spread. There are three common ways to summarize variability in a data set: the standard deviation, which measures how far an observation typically is from the average; the range, which measures the extent of the entire data set by using the distance from the smallest to the largest data value; and the coefficient of variation, which measures relative variability by using the ratio of standard deviation to average. Variability is not limited to data sets, but also applies to other domains such as products and production systems. In these contexts, variability refers to the ability of products and production systems to be flexible and adaptable. Variability is also recognized in the field of tennis coaching, where it is understood that people have differences and even top players show variability. In software engineering, variability is the ability of a software system or artifact to be changed to fit a specific context. Variability is also studied in the field of psychology, where it is used to describe the changing nature of assessments and evaluations over time.
What is coefficient variation used for?3 answersThe coefficient of variation (CV) is a useful statistic for comparing the spread of values between datasets with different units or widely different means. It is used to investigate the equality of the coefficients of variation from two independent populations. The CV is commonly used in various scientific areas, such as medicine, finance, epidemiology, and quantitative trait analysis, to measure and compare variation in quantitative traits. It is particularly useful when comparing the variability of multiple curve groups or when detecting outliers. However, it should be noted that the CV may be affected by outliers, as it is based on the sample mean and standard deviation.
What is soil variability?5 answersSoil variability refers to the natural heterogeneity and spatial variation in mechanical properties of soil. It is a well-known phenomenon in geotechnical engineering that soil properties can vary significantly within a given area. This variability can affect the behavior and performance of structures built on or in the soil, such as foundations, slopes, dams, and retaining walls. Traditional approaches often assume homogeneity and use average values for soil parameters, which can lead to underestimation of failure potential and uncertainties. To account for soil variability, the Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) is commonly used, which considers the scatter of soil properties and the structure of unsampled areas. By incorporating soil variability into analysis and design, engineers can better understand the performance and optimize the dimensions of geotechnical structures.
What is genetic polymorphism?5 answersGenetic polymorphism refers to the natural variations in the DNA sequence among individuals, groups, or populations. It can be caused by chance processes or external agents such as viruses or radiation. Polymorphisms can include single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), sequence repeats, insertions, deletions, and recombination. SNPs are the most common type of genetic variation in humans. These variations can be used as genetic markers in studying polygenic diseases. Polymorphisms are any DNA sequences in which the less common allele occurs at a frequency of 1% or greater. The first polymorphisms identified were those defining the serologic blood groups. Genetic polymorphisms can be used to model variability in brain chemistry and understand individual differences in behavior and risk for psychopathology. Genetic variants that appear in at least 1% of a population are called polymorphisms, allowing researchers to focus on variations that are more common. Polymorphisms can be analyzed to find associations with heritable phenotypes and diseases.