Error rate

the frequency of errors in
 * 1) the replication of DNA, which employs multiple mechanisms to maintain fidelity, of high relevance to the diversity of antibodies and to many genetic disorders (See mutation)
 * 2) the transcription of (viral genomic) RNA from DNA or the reverse transcription of RNA to DNA, critical to the adaptation of viruses (See antigen drift)
 * 3) the experimental synthesis of DNA from DNA templates in e.g., primer extension reactions, of relevance for cloning and the detection of mutations