The tendency for recurrent mutation (rather than selection) to alter the frequency of a particular allele within a population, or more generally to affect the genetic constitution of an organism.
Origin
1920s; earliest use found in American Naturalist.
Definition of mutation pressure in US English:
mutation pressure
noun
Genetics
The tendency for recurrent mutation (rather than selection) to alter the frequency of a particular allele within a population, or more generally to affect the genetic constitution of an organism.