Mutagens increase the frequency of mutations in plants and animals, leading to various consequences, including cancer and birth defects. They attack DNA, causing genetic errors, structural damage, and manipulation. Mutagens are not always consistent or predictable, and exposure can result in a genetic time bomb. Precautions are necessary in research laboratories and product testing.
A mutagen is a substance that increases the frequency of mutation in a plant or animal population, which can lead to a variety of consequences. Some chemicals have mutagenic properties and radiation such as ultraviolet light and X-rays are another common source of mutations. Since mutagens can lead to genetic mutations, some of them can contribute to the development of cancer, making these mutagens carcinogens as well as mutagens.
There are several ways a mutagen can function within a living organism. Most attack DNA, affecting the genetic code of the organism. Some manage to insert themselves directly into the DNA, causing the animal to start reproducing the mutagen because it thinks it belongs in the DNA. Others cause structural damage, leading to genetic errors that can become catastrophic as cells begin to replicate, and others manipulate DNA, forcing it to produce something dangerous. Fetuses are particularly susceptible to mutagens because they grow and develop so rapidly, which is why pregnant women are cautioned to be especially careful of radiation and chemicals.
People began to understand how mutagens worked in the 1920s, when researchers in the process of exploring radiation noticed a variety of mutations in organisms exposed to high levels of radiation. Over time, a mutagenic link has developed between many forms of radiation and many chemicals, demonstrating the need to observe precautions in research laboratories and carefully test products before releasing them to the public.
As doctors learned to their dismay in the 1950s with thalidomide, mutagens aren’t always consistent or predictable. Although many living organisms have very similar genetic codes, a mutagen can cause problems in one organism but not in another. In the case of thalidomide, the drug caused birth defects in humans, but not in the animals it was tested on.
In addition to causing mutations in living organisms, such as when exposure to a mutagen leads to the development of a cancerous tumor, mutagens can also cause birth defects. Additionally, exposure to the mutagen can result in the transmission of a kind of genetic time bomb, a mutated gene or sequence that can become a problem in future generations. The mutagen could cause the development of a recessive trait that occurs when two descendants of people exposed to the substance have children. The cause of a birth defect can be difficult to pin down if the exposure occurred several generations ago, causing confusion between parents and the treating physician.
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