Mutations are the raw material of evolution. For example, a single change in an DNA base pair can cause a protein molecule to lose its function, with potentially major effects on the overall organism. However, mutations—and especially the ones that do not have major effects—can also provide a roadmap to determining if there is a pattern in the evolution of genomic attributes such as nucleotide substitutions.
Click here for original story, Genomic attributes explained by certain life history traits in neoavian birds
Source: Phys.org