Chromosomal rearrangement

In genetics, a chromosomal rearrangement is a type of chromosome abnormality involving a change in the structure of the native chromosome. Such changes may involve several different classes of events, like deletions, duplications, inversions, and translocations. Usually, these events are caused by a breakage in the DNA double helices at two different locations, followed by a rejoining of the broken ends to produce a new chromosomal arrangement of genes, different from the gene order of the chromosomes before they were broken. Structural chromosomal abnormalities are estimated to occur in around 0.5% of newborn infants.