Final answer:
Genomic alterations that can induce genetic variation include changes in chromosome number like aneuploidy, gene mutations affecting nucleotides, and changes in chromosome structure such as duplications or deletions. Changes in amino acid sequence result from gene mutations, but are not changes to the genome itself.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genomic alterations that may induce genetic variation include:
- Changes in chromosome number, such as aneuploidy, where there is a gain or loss of one or more chromosomes. This is not a mutation but can lead to genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, which is due to an extra copy of chromosome 21.
- Gene mutations, which may alter a single nucleotide (point mutations) or larger sections of DNA, impacting the genetic code and possibly leading to changes in the protein that the gene encodes.
- Changes in chromosome structure, where a section of a chromosome may break off and rejoin incorrectly, leading to issues such as deletions, duplications, or insertions, which can have serious effects on an organism.
- Changes in amino acid sequence can occur as a result of gene mutations, but this alteration is a consequence of changes at the nucleotide level, rather than a cause of genetic variation in itself.