ALL branches of genetics, formal mendelism, evolution, selection and gene physiology are concerned with differences arising ultimately from gene mutations. A study of the mutation process is therefore of prime importance in genetics and is probably the only method available for attacking the problem of gene evolution. But spontaneous mutations occur so infrequently that, even with special techniques in Drosophila, much labour must be expended for little result. Thus, despite its fundamental importance, our knowledge of spontaneous mutation is still very limited. More is known about artificially induced mutations and their relationship to chromosomal changes. This is due partly to the greater attention that has been given to this type of experiment and partly to the greater return of data for the output of work. If an efficient method for detecting rare mutations can be found it should be used to study not only induced but also, and indeed more particularly, spontaneous changes. Any new method must fulfil certain exacting needs, and since these have been clearly stated by Timoféeff-Ressovsky (ig4) only a brief summary need be given here, as follows :—

中文翻译：

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不相容基因的结构

遗传学、形式孟德尔主义、进化、选择和基因生理学的所有分支都与最终由基因突变引起的差异有关。因此，对突变过程的研究在遗传学中至关重要，并且可能是解决基因进化问题的唯一方法。但是自发突变很少发生，即使在果蝇中使用特殊技术，也必须花费大量的劳动来获得很少的结果。因此，尽管它具有根本的重要性，但我们对自发突变的了解仍然非常有限。对人工诱导的突变及其与染色体变化的关系了解得更多。这部分是由于对这种类型的实验给予了更多的关注，部分是由于工作输出的数据回报更多。如果能找到一种检测稀有突变的有效方法，它不仅应该用于研究诱导的变化，而且更具体地说，应该用于研究自发变化。任何新方法都必须满足某些严格的需求，并且由于 Timoféeff-Ressovsky (ig4) 已经清楚地说明了这些需求，因此这里只需要给出一个简短的总结，如下：