Nucleotide polymorphisms refer to variations in DNA sequences that occur between individuals within a population. These changes can involve single nucleotides, insertions or deletions of nucleotides, and can be found in both coding (exons) and non-coding regions (introns) of the genome. They are also known as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).
These variations occur naturally and can have different effects on an individual's phenotype, including susceptibility to certain diseases or differences in physical traits. Some SNPs may be neutral, meaning they do not affect the function of a protein or gene, while others can result in changes that are beneficial, detrimental, or have no effect at all.
Understanding nucleotide polymorphisms is important for many reasons, including the study of human genetics and evolution, as well as for medical applications such as personalized medicine and disease diagnosis.