Fa t Sheet 2 | VARIATIONS IN THE GENETIC CODE
Page of
.ge ei s.edu.au Updated Ju e 6
Figu e . : Mutaio s a o ur ery early duri g ferilisaio of the egg a d sper . The utaio is ot i herited
ut all future ells of the a y ha e the utaio .
Spo adi
Whe a health o diio is aused a ge e utaio that appea s fo the i st i e i a fa il , it is said to e spo adi . “po adi ge ei o diio s o e a out he a spo ta eous
utaio o u s at the i e of fe ilisaio . Although it is ot i he ited f o o e of ou pa e ts, ou a sill pass it o to ou futu e hild e . You spe o eggs ill o o tai this utaio . see Figure . .
Ac ui ed
DNA ha ges a o e a out due to thi gs e e pe ie e du i g ou life. Fo e a ple, adiaio p odu ed the su , e tai
he i als, o othe e i o e tal fa to s. DNA ha ges a also o u as ou ells a e
Fa t Sheet 2 | VARIATIONS IN THE GENETIC CODE
Page of
.ge ei s.edu.au Updated Ju e 6
Although the od has a ei ie t s ste to epai these a iaio s i the DNA as the o u , so ei es the e is a eakdo i the ell s
epai s ste .
If a a iaio to the DNA o u s a d is ot epai ed, it ill e opied i to all the ells a isi g f o that ell see Figure . .
As ith othe DNA a iaio s, if the ge e essage e o es fault , a utaio is said to ha e o u ed.
Bod ells ot the egg o spe a e alled so ai ells a d the efo e a utaio that o u s i a so ai ell is alled a so ai
utaio .
I Figure . , the so ai utaio has a ise i a ge e i a ell of the east issue o l a d so
a ot e passed o to a hild.
A so ai utaio ill o l afe t the pa t of the od i that pa i ula i di idual. “o ai ells a e the efo e ot passed do to hild e o i he ited.
