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mk · 3117 days ago · link · · parent · post: Individual neurons may carry up to 1,000 genetic mutations not present in surrounding cells
Wow. That is very cool. Just two days ago a friend of mine ask whether or not I thought DNA mutations could be beneficial in a sense outside of evolution. I said that I couldn't think of an example, but wouldn't exclude the possibility. From a purely physical standpoint, biological machinery is agnostic in the realm of possibility. If it can happen, it probably does. If it is reproducible, it is probably of use.
I'd guess the mutations are sort of a side-effect in this scenario, but there is also somatic hypermutation in the case of antibody maturation.
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