The continuity of life is based on heritable information in the form of DNA. In a short essay (100-150 words), explain how mutations in protein-coding genes and regulatory DNA contribute to evolution.

A mutation is a change in DNA, the genetic material of living organisms. An organism's DNA or genetic material affects how it looks, behaves, and its physiology. A change in an organism's DNA can cause changes in all aspects of its life. Mutations are essential and can be beneficial or neutral to evolution as they are the raw material of genetic variation and differences.

Changes in the amino acid sequence directly affect protein function, and all tissues in which the gene is expressed. The effects of regulatory mutations can indirectly affect phenotype through the activity and expression of the genes that they regulate.

Some regions of DNA are responsible for the control other genes, determining when and where other genes are turned "on" or "off". Mutations in these parts of the genome can in a great extent change the way the organism is built leading to development of new character traits and more diversity and thus evolution in the organism.