What is the Difference Between Forward and Reverse Mutation?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between forward and reverse mutations lies in the changes they cause to the genotype and phenotype of an organism:
- Forward mutation: This type of mutation results in a gene sequence and phenotype that is different from that conferred by the wild-type gene. In other words, it introduces a new change to the genome, altering the organism's characteristics.
- Reverse mutation: Also known as reversion, this type of mutation restores the wild-type phenotype to cells already carrying a phenotype-altering forward mutation. In other words, it undoes the effects of a forward mutation and returns the organism's characteristics to their original, wild-type state.
Reverse mutations are useful in identifying DNA repair genes, unlike forward mutations. Additionally, reverse mutations are likely to occur at a lower rate than forward mutations.
Comparative Table: Forward vs Reverse Mutation
The main difference between forward and reverse mutations lies in the changes they make to the nucleotide sequence of a gene or genome:
Forward Mutation: This type of mutation changes a wild-type allele to a detrimental allele, resulting in a different phenotype than the wild-type phenotype.
Reverse Mutation: This type of mutation changes an already mutated (mutant) allele back to a wild-type allele, reversing the forward mutation.
Here is a table summarizing the differences between forward and reverse mutations:
| Feature | Forward Mutation | Reverse Mutation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Changes wild-type allele to a detrimental allele | Changes a mutant allele back to a wild-type allele |
| Phenotype | Results in a different phenotype than the wild-type phenotype | Restores the wild-type phenotype from the mutant phenotype |
| Rate of Mutation | Generally lower rate of mutation | Generally higher rate of mutation |
| Usefulness | Reverse mutations are useful in identifying DNA repair genes, unlike forward mutations | Not as useful for identifying DNA repair genes as reverse mutations |
Reverse mutations are mainly useful for identifying DNA repair genes, whereas forward mutations are not. Additionally, reverse mutations generally have a higher rate of mutation than forward mutations.
- Forward vs Reverse Genetics
- Frameshift Mutation vs Point Mutation
- Back Mutation vs Suppressor Mutation
- Reversion vs Suppression Mutation
- Mutation vs Recombination
- Forward vs Reverse Primer
- Mutation vs Mutagen
- DNA Damage vs Mutation
- Substitution Insertion vs Deletion Mutations
- SNP vs Mutation
- Point Mutation vs Chromosomal Mutation
- Original vs Mutated Sequences
- Swap vs Forward
- Point Mutations vs Indels
- Mutation Rate vs Substitution Rate
- Germline Mutation vs Somatic Mutation
- Transition vs Transversion
- Synonymous vs Nonsynonymous Mutation
- Frameshift Mutation vs Base Substitution Mutation