Genetic Variation: Overview and Examples

Whether you are looking for a genetic variation analysis service, or just want to know what genetic variation is, we can help. Read on to learn more!

What is genetic variation?

Genetic variation is what makes individuals of the same species different from each other. It refers to the differences in the DNA sequences of members of the same species. For example, in humans, it is the cause of our differences in terms of hair colour, blood type, and face shape and even determines whether or not we have dimples.

Genetic variation occurs in all the cells of an organism, but only the variations which occur in germ cells (cells which become reproductive cells – i.e. sperm and eggs) can be inherited, or passed down through generations. In fact, the variations which occur over generations can ultimately impact evolution.

What are the types of genetic variation?

There are 4 types or causes of genetic variation. These are:

• Mutation
• Recombination
• Random mating
• Random fertilisation

Examples of genetic variation

Genetic variation examples differ between species. For instance, examples in humans include:

• Eye colour
• Blood type
• Albinism
• Skin colour
• Toe length
• Face shape
• Dimples
• Attached or unattached ear lobes
• Ear hair growth
• Photic sneeze reflex (bright lights triggering sneezing)

Meanwhile, examples in cats include:

• Size
• Coat colour/markings
• Eye colour
• Hair length (long or short-haired)

When does genetic variation occur?

The time when genetic variation occurs in an organism depends on the type of  variation occurring. Some variations only occur at the beginning of an organism’s development, while others may occur throughout its lifetime.

Variations caused by mutation, for example, can be inherited from parents, or they can be acquired later in life from another source, e.g. due to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. For this reason, mutations can be categorised as ‘inherited’ (passed from the parents) or ‘somatic’ (changes to DNA, which happen after conception and do not affect the germ cells (sperm or egg cells) so cannot be passed to offspring).

On the other hand, genetic variants caused by recombination only occur during an organism’s development. In simple terms, recombination refers to the mixing of the mother’s and father’s DNA in order to create new combinations of variants in offspring.

What is genetic variation analysis?

Genetic variation analysis, or genetic variant analysis, is the process of investigating genetic variations and their associations with clinical outcomes. For example, this type of analysis can reveal links between genetic variants and medical conditions.

Genetic variation analysis from Fios Genomics

As a bioinformatics analysis company which works with pharma and biotech companies to further drug development research, we have a wealth of experience in genetic variation data analysis. From using whole exome or whole genome sequencing analysis (WES or WGS) or SNP arrays to profile genetic variation across many loci in the genome simultaneously, to using GWAS* or pheWAS** to investigate links between SNPs and diseases like heart disease or cancer, there are many ways we can support your drug development research with genetic variation analysis. To discover how we can support your particular research, contact us today! Alternatively, learn more about our genetic variation data analysis services.

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Author: Breige McBride, Content and Social Media Manager, Fios Genomics
Reviewed by Fios Genomics Bioinformatics Experts to ensure accuracy

Further Reading

What is a gene variant and how do variants occur?
How are gene variants involved in evolution?

See Also:

The Future of Bioinformatics in 2023
The Clinical Trial Diversity Problem
Bioinformatics and the Pharmaceutical Industry
How to Reduce Animal Testing With Bioinformatics
Plant Metabolomics Analysis: Revealing Plants Secrets

*GWAS refers to a genome-wide association study.
**pheWas refers to Phenome-wide association studies.