▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁DNA ▁before ▁it ▁is ▁rep licated . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁possible ▁mut ations ▁that ▁occurs ▁is ▁the ▁replacement ▁of ▁a ▁single ▁nucle ot ide , ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁point ▁mut ation . ▁If ▁a ▁point ▁mut ation ▁occurs ▁within ▁an ▁expressed ▁region ▁of ▁a ▁gene , ▁an ▁ex on , ▁then ▁this ▁will ▁change ▁the ▁cod on ▁specifying ▁a ▁particular ▁am ino ▁acid ▁in ▁the ▁protein ▁produced ▁by ▁that ▁gene . ▁Despite ▁the ▁redund ancy ▁in ▁the ▁gen etic ▁code , ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁possibility ▁that ▁this ▁mut ation ▁will ▁then ▁change ▁the ▁am ino ▁acid ▁that ▁is ▁produced ▁during ▁translation , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁the ▁structure ▁of ▁the ▁protein ▁will ▁be ▁changed . ▁ ▁The ▁functionality ▁of ▁a ▁protein ▁is ▁highly ▁dependent ▁on ▁its ▁structure . ▁Ch anging ▁a ▁single ▁am ino ▁acid ▁in ▁a ▁protein ▁may ▁reduce ▁its ▁ability ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁this ▁function , ▁or ▁the ▁mut ation ▁may ▁even ▁change ▁the ▁function ▁that ▁the ▁protein ▁car ries ▁out . ▁Ch anges ▁like ▁these ▁may ▁sever ely ▁impact ▁a ▁cru cial ▁function ▁in ▁a ▁cell , ▁potentially ▁causing ▁the ▁cell ▁— ▁and ▁in ▁extreme ▁cases , ▁the ▁organ ism ▁— ▁to ▁die . ▁Con vers ely , ▁the ▁change ▁may ▁allow ▁the ▁cell ▁to ▁continue ▁function ing ▁al beit ▁differently , ▁and ▁the ▁mut ation ▁can ▁be ▁passed ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁organ ism ' s ▁off spring . ▁If ▁this ▁change ▁does ▁not ▁result ▁in ▁any ▁significant ▁physical ▁dis adv antage ▁to ▁the ▁off spring