Answer from: Maria José Mendiola, MD, MSc in Human Genetics, MSc in Science Communication, ObGyn
A genetic variation is a term used to describe the variation in the DNA sequence in each of our genomes. Genetic variation is what makes us all unique, for example, whether in terms of hair color, skin color or even the shape of our faces so, this is a recycle that we have for all the structures in our bodies. Individuals of species have similar characteristics but they are rarely identical. The difference between them is called variation so, genetic variation is a result of subtle differences in our DNA, for example, we have the single nucleotide polymorphisms which are called snips and are the most common type of genetic variation amongst people. Remember that each single nucleotide polymorphism represents a difference in a single DNA base so, on average they occur once in every 300 basins and of a narrow compound in the near day between genes.
Answer from: Douglas Lester, PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons)
Variations and mutations are interchangeable. New variants are just new mutations; they mean the same thing.
