An indel is an insertion or deletion of nucleotides relative to a specified reference nucleotide sequence. Its length and location matter: within a coding region, a length not divisible by three changes the downstream reading frame, producing a frameshift mutation. A gene deletion is a larger removal defined by the gene it eliminates.
An "indel" is a term used in genetics to refer to a type of genetic mutation that involves the insertion or deletion of nucleotide bases in a DNA sequence. The word "indel" is a portmanteau of “insertion” and “deletion.” Indels can vary in size, ranging from a single nucleotide to larger segments of DNA. They can have significant effects on gene function and protein production, potentially leading to various genetic disorders or diseases.
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