Mutations are alterations in a genome's nucleotide sequence that can occur in somatic or germ-line cells. Mutations can be harmful and cause diseases, beneficial by allowing organisms to better survive, or neutral with no observable effects. There are several types of mutations including point mutations like missense, nonsense, and silent mutations as well as frameshift mutations involving insertions or deletions of nucleotide bases. Chromosomal mutations can also occur and affect multiple genes.