What is a neutral mutation?

Neutral mutation has become a part of the neutral theory of molecular evolution, proposed in the 1960s. This theory suggests that neutral mutations are responsible for a large portion of DNA sequence changes in a species. read more

Neutral mutations are changes in DNA sequence that are neither beneficial nor detrimental to the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce. Attached and detached earlobes. read more

A similar neutral mutation in humans is red hair. The most important characteristic of a neutral mutation is that it does not alter the survival of the organism but simply alters its appearance or structure in some way. Neutral mutations are the most frequently observed type of genetic mutation. read more