What occurs during a deletion mutation?

During a deletion mutation, a segment of DNA is removed from the chromosome. This alteration can lead to a loss of genetic information, which may affect protein synthesis and result in various biological consequences. Such mutations can disrupt the reading frame of a gene, potentially leading to the production of nonfunctional proteins or the complete loss of gene expression.

In the context of genetic changes, understanding deletion mutations is crucial because they can have significant impacts on an organism's phenotype, particularly if they involve essential genes.