Alleles and Variation

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Mutation = any change in the quantity or structure of an organism's DNA.

Allele = different forms of the same gene caused by a mutation that changes the sequence of bases in the gene.

If a mutation occurs in a gamete (sex cell), the allele will be passed onto offspring, which may change the phenotype (characteristics), increasing the phenotypic variation of a population.

The frequency of this allele in the population may increase if it provides a selective advantage (making the organism more likely to survive and reproduce).

An example of this is…

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