Editing Point mutation (section)

{{Short description|Replacement, insertion, or deletion of a single DNA or RNA nucleotide}}
[[File:Point mutations-en.png|thumb|350px|Point mutations of a codon, classified by their impact on protein sequence]]
[[Image:RNA-codons-aminoacids.svg|thumb|350px|Schematic of a single-stranded RNA molecule illustrating a series of three-base [[codon]]s. Each three-[[nucleotide]] codon corresponds to an [[amino acid]] when translated to protein. When one of these codons is changed by a point mutation, the corresponding amino acid of the protein is changed.]]
[[File:Sanger Sequencing heterozygous point mutation.png|thumb|A to G point mutation detected with Sanger sequencing]]
A '''point mutation''' is a genetic [[mutation]] where a single nucleotide base is changed, inserted or deleted from a [[DNA]] or [[RNA]] sequence of an organism's genome.<ref name="Point Mutation Def BD">{{cite web |title=Point Mutation |url=https://biologydictionary.net/point-mutation/ |website=Biology Dictionary |date=22 November 2016 |access-date=17 May 2019}}</ref> Point mutations have a variety of effects on the downstream protein product—consequences that are moderately predictable based upon the specifics of the mutation. These consequences can range from no effect (e.g. [[Synonymous substitution|synonymous mutations]]) to deleterious effects (e.g. [[frameshift mutations]]), with regard to protein production, composition, and function.