What is the Difference Between DNA Damage and Mutation?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚DNA damage and DNA mutation are both types of errors in DNA, but they are distinctly different from each other:
- DNA damage refers to physical abnormalities in DNA, such as single- and double-strand breaks. DNA damage can be recognized by enzymes and repaired if redundant information is available. DNA damage does not necessarily lead to the formation of a mutation.
- DNA mutation is a change in the base sequence of the DNA. Once a base change is present in both DNA strands, it cannot be recognized and repaired by enzymes. Mutations can cause alterations in protein function and regulation. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 DNA lesions will result in a DNA mutation.
In summary, DNA damage is a physical alteration in the DNA molecule, while a DNA mutation is a change in the base sequence of the DNA. DNA damage can be repaired by enzymes, whereas DNA mutations cannot be recognized and repaired once the base change is present in both DNA strands.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between DNA Damage and Mutation? Comparative Table: DNA Damage vs Mutation
Comparative Table: DNA Damage vs Mutation
Here is a table comparing DNA damage and mutation:
| Feature | DNA Damage | Mutation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | DNA damages are physical abnormalities in DNA, such as single- and double-strand breaks. | A mutation is a change in the base sequence of the DNA. |
| Repair | Most DNA damages can be recognized by enzymes and repaired if redundant information is available. | Mutations cannot be recognized and repaired by enzymes once the base change is present in both strands. |
| Occurrence | DNA damage occurs at a rate of 1,000 to 1,000,000 molecular lesions per cell per day due to environmental factors and normal metabolic processes inside the cell. | Mutations are random changes that occur within the sequence of bases in DNA. |
| Consequence | In contrast to DNA damage, a mutation can cause alterations in protein function and regulation. | DNA damage, in and of itself, does not necessarily lead to the formation of a mutation in the DNA. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 DNA lesions will result in a DNA mutation. |
| Examples | Examples of DNA damage include single-strand breaks, double-strand breaks, and chemically altered bases. | Examples of mutations include transition mutations (A to G or C to T) and transversion mutations (A to C or G to T). |
In summary, DNA damage refers to physical abnormalities in DNA, while mutations are changes in the base sequence of the DNA. Most DNA damages can be repaired, but unrepaired DNA damages can accumulate in replicating cells, giving rise to mutations.
Read more:
- Mutation vs Mutagen
- DNA Sequence Mutations vs Epigenetic Modifications
- Gene Mutation vs Chromosome Mutation
- Mutation vs Recombination
- SNP vs Mutation
- Genotoxicity vs Mutagenicity
- Mutagen vs Carcinogen
- Mutation vs Polymorphism
- Point Mutation vs Chromosomal Mutation
- Germline Mutation vs Somatic Mutation
- Mutagen vs Teratogen
- Frameshift Mutation vs Point Mutation
- Chromosomal Aberration vs Gene Mutation
- Mutation Rate vs Substitution Rate
- Spontaneous vs Induced Mutation
- Substitution Insertion vs Deletion Mutations
- Gene vs DNA
- Mismatch Repair vs Nucleotide Excision Repair
- Nondisjunction vs Translocation Mutations