What is the Difference Between Spontaneous and Induced Mutation?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between spontaneous and induced mutations lies in the factors that cause them:
- Spontaneous mutations occur naturally and are mainly due to errors in DNA replication. They are caused by slippage in natural processes and are not influenced by external factors. Some of the main causes of spontaneous mutations include replication errors, slipped strand mispairing, wobble base pairing, depurination or deamination, tautomerism, and unequal crossing over.
- Induced mutations arise due to exposure of an organism's DNA to a mutagen, which can be a physical or chemical agent. These mutations are not spontaneous and are induced through various chemical and physical agents known as mutagens. Some examples of mutagens that can cause induced mutations include base modifications, base analogues, intercalating agents, base mispairing, and radiations.
In summary, spontaneous mutations occur naturally due to errors in DNA replication, while induced mutations are caused by external factors such as mutagens.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Spontaneous and Induced Mutation? Comparative Table: Spontaneous vs Induced Mutation
Comparative Table: Spontaneous vs Induced Mutation
Here is a table comparing the differences between spontaneous and induced mutations:
| Feature | Spontaneous Mutation | Induced Mutation |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Occurs naturally, mainly due to errors in replication | Occurs due to physical or chemical agents |
| Causes | Replication errors, slipped strand mispairing, wobble base pairing, depurination or deamination, tautomerism, unequal crossing over | Base modification, base analogues, intercalating agents, base mispairing, radiations |
| Examples | Sickle cell anemia | Skin cancer due to prolonged exposure to radiations |
Spontaneous mutations occur naturally and are mainly due to errors in DNA replication during cellular processes such as replication, mitosis, and meiosis. On the other hand, induced mutations are caused by external factors such as physical, chemical, or biological agents, which can lead to changes in DNA sequences.
Read more:
- Mutation vs Mutagen
- Spontaneous vs Nonspontaneous Reactions
- Random Mutagenesis vs Site Directed Mutagenesis
- SNP vs Mutation
- DNA Damage vs Mutation
- Germline Mutation vs Somatic Mutation
- Mutation vs Recombination
- Abiogenesis vs Spontaneous Generation
- Spontaneous vs Stimulated Emission
- Frameshift Mutation vs Point Mutation
- Synonymous vs Nonsynonymous Mutation
- Missense vs Nonsense Mutation
- Point Mutations vs Indels
- Gene Mutation vs Chromosome Mutation
- Forward vs Reverse Mutation
- Genotoxicity vs Mutagenicity
- Spontaneous Generation vs Panspermia
- Point Mutation vs Chromosomal Mutation
- Mutation Rate vs Substitution Rate