What is single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)?

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are normal variations in a single nucleotide that cause genetic variation. For example, a SNP could replace a guanine nucleotide with an adenine nucleotide, causing genetic mutations that affect the gene’s function. This might sound scary, but most SNPs have no effect on our health and instead provide valuable information as biological markers. For instance, SNPs can be used to predict drug responses and track disease inheritance.