Mutagen
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In biology, a mutagen (Latin, literally origin of change) is an agent that changes the genetic information (usually DNA) of an organism and thus increases the number of mutations above the natural background level.
Mutagens are usually chemical compounds or ionizing radiation.
The Ames test is one method to determine how mutagenic an agent is.
[edit] Examples
- Nitrous acid, (HNO2) Deaminating agent
- UV Radiation, thimine dimer formation
- Sodium azide, (NaN3)
- Gamma and Alpha Radiation, ionising radiations
- Transposons, autonomous dna fragment relocation/multiplication
- Base analogues, substitutes
- Bromine and some of its compounds,
- Ethidium bromide (EtBr), Intercalating agents.
[edit] Mutagens in fiction
- Exposure to a mutagen is the means by which the anthropomorphic animals in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, for example, gained their forms. There are many less comic and more extreme versions in fiction, such as the mutated monsters on The X-files, some of which may actually be plausible according to some biologists. On that show, the writers' favorite premise was that all humans had left-over strands of alien DNA in them, which sometimes became active.
- In the 80's and early 90's radiation was the mutagen of choice for fictional works.
- Many computer/video games (such as Area 51) employ mutagens as a source of mutation.
- The T-Virus, appearing throughout the Resident Evil video game series, is a mutagenic virus which causes many various forms of horrific mutation depending on which part of the body it invades first. A second mutagen, the G-Virus, was the cause of the primary antagonist's superhuman strength and constantly morphing form.
- The Inhumans of Marvel Comics utilize a mutagen called the "Terrigen Mist".
The most talked-about mutation nowadays is the very real product of manipulating human genetic material. The intent of this research is usually to cure disease.
[edit] See also
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