Can we control and utilize the mutation caused by radiation?

No, but there are limited cases of radiation control of specific genes. Yes, ionizing radiation causes DNA damage that is for the most part random. read more

No, but there are limited cases of radiation control of specific genes. Yes, ionizing radiation causes DNA damage that is for the most part random. However a promoter sequence in the Egr1 gene was found back in the 1990s to be inducible by radiation. In other word, radiation didn’t damage or mutate the gene, it ACTIVATED the gene and turned it on. read more

Mutations to DNA lead to changes in the proteins the cell produces, which modify the way the cell behaves, and can ultimately lead to diseases such as cancer. Exposure to radiation is considered a mutagen, meaning that it causes mutations in DNA. read more

Mutations can also be caused by exposure to specific chemicals or radiation. These agents cause the DNA to break down. This is not necessarily unnatural — even in the most isolated and pristine environments, DNA breaks down. read more