Mutations can lead to two things: an advantage or disadvantage
Advantageous mutations: Some mutations may give an individual beneficial causes. Mutations that increases their chances of survival, within a population, will give them an advantage in terms of living longer and reproducing. For example, the mutation that results in sickle – cell anaemia may increase an individual’s chance of being resistant to malaria. Parasites cannot grow as effectively in the red blood cells and those who are heterozygous for this trait are less likely to die from malaria live longer.
Disadvantageous mutations: Mutations can also be harmful and cause diseases, slow development (intellectually or physically), abnormal physique or other effects. Diseases such as cancer, diabetes and asthma are linked to genetic mutations. Mutations with no beneficial cause such as cancer will result in an increased chance of death and difficulty in living normally.
What is sickle-cell anemia?
The sickle-cell anaemia disease is a disease caused by mutation. The mutation caused the adenine base to be substituted by a thymine base resulting in a phenotype of red blood cells that clump together and block blood vessels.