glossary

Indel

Image of an insertion-deletion mutation. An arrow with a plus sign points at a longer DNA that has had a red fragment inserted. Another arrow with a minus sign points at a shorter DNA with a deleted DNA fragment.

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Abbreviation for insertion or deletion. Refers to the random removal or addition of nucleotides from a DNA sequence. This can be enough to stop a gene from functioning (imagine removing a page from the middle of an instruction manual). Indels occur when DNA is broken and “sloppily” repaired by the cell in a process called non-homologous end joining (NHEJ).

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