mutagen

mutagen
/myooh"teuh jeuhn, -jen'/, n.
a substance or preparation capable of inducing mutation.
[1945-50; MUTA(TION) + -GEN]

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Any agent capable of altering a cell's genetic makeup by changing the structure of the hereditary material, DNA.

Many forms of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., cosmic rays, X rays, ultraviolet light) are mutagenic, as are various chemical compounds. The effects of some mutagens are increased or suppressed in some organisms by the presence of certain other, nonmutagenic substances; oxygen, for example, makes cells more sensitive to the mutagenic effects of X rays.

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      any agent capable of altering the genetic constitution of a cell by changing the structure of the hereditary material, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Many forms of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., cosmic rays, X rays, ultraviolet light) are mutagenic, as are a variety of chemical compounds. The effects of some mutagens are potentiated (increased) or suppressed in some organisms by the presence of certain other, nonmutagenic substances; oxygen, for example, makes cells more sensitive to the mutagenic effects of X rays.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • mutagen — MUTAGÉN, Ă, mutageni, e, adj., s.m. (biol.) (Agent) care produce o mutaţie (2). – Din fr. mutagene. Trimis de ana zecheru, 19.05.2004. Sursa: DEX 98  mutagén adj. m., pl. mutagéni; f …   Dicționar Român

  • Mutagen X — IUPAC name 3 Chloro 4 (dichloromethyl) 5 hydroxy 5H furan 2 one …   Wikipedia

  • mutagen — mu ta*gen (m[=u] t[.a]*j[e^]n), n. A chemical compound or other external influence (such as ionizing radiation) which causes mutations[3]. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mutagen — mutagen. См. мутаген. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • mutagen — (n.) 1946, from MUTATION (Cf. mutation) + GEN (Cf. gen) thing that produces. Related: Mutagenic; mutagenesis; mutagenize …   Etymology dictionary

  • mutagen — mùtagēn m <N mn i> DEFINICIJA biol. fizikalni ili kemijski čimbenik koji izaziva mutacije [mutagene tvari] ETIMOLOGIJA v. mutacija + gen …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • mutagen — [myo͞ot′ə jən, myo͞ot′əjen΄] n. [ MUTA(TION) + GEN] Biol. any agent or substance, as X rays, mustard gas, etc., capable of noticeably increasing the frequency of mutation mutagenic [myo͞ot′əjen′ik] adj. mutagenically adv …   English World dictionary

  • Mutagen — In genetics, a mutagen (Latin, literally origin of change) is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many… …   Wikipedia

  • mutagen — mu|ta|gen 〈Adj.〉 Mutationen auslösend [<Mutation + grch. gennan „erzeugen“] * * * Mu|ta|gen [Kurzw. aus Mutation (lat. mutatio = Veränderung) u. ↑ gen], das; , e: Sammelbez. für mutagen (↑ erbgutverändernd) wirkende, d. h. Erbänderungen… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Mutagen — Mu|ta|gen 〈n. 11〉 chem. od. physikal. Agens, das Mutationen auslöst * * * Mu|ta|gen [Kurzw. aus Mutation (lat. mutatio = Veränderung) u. ↑ gen], das; , e: Sammelbez. für mutagen (↑ erbgutverändernd) wirkende, d. h. Erbänderungen (Mutationen)… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • mutagen — UK [ˈmjuːtədʒən] / US [ˈmjutədʒən] noun [countable] Word forms mutagen : singular mutagen plural mutagens biology a substance that produces a genetic mutation …   English dictionary

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