Mutation in a virus is caused due to a change in its :

Mutation in a virus is caused due to a change in its :

cell size.
genetic material.
shape.
colour.
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UPSC CDS-1 – 2022
Mutation in a virus is caused due to a change in its genetic material.
Viruses store their genetic information in the form of either DNA or RNA. A mutation is a change in the sequence of nucleotides in this genetic material. These changes can occur spontaneously during replication or be induced by external factors (mutagens). Mutations are the primary source of genetic variation in viruses, which can lead to changes in their characteristics, such as infectivity, virulence, or ability to evade host immune responses.
Changes in cell size, shape, or colour are phenotypic changes, which may or may not result from an underlying genetic mutation, but the mutation itself is the alteration in the genetic code. Viruses do not have a cellular structure like bacteria or eukaryotic cells, so discussing “cell size” in the context of a virus is inaccurate.
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