6. Genetic Disorder Flashcards
What is a Robertsonian translocation?
Defined as translocation involving two acrocentric chromosomes with the break points occuring close to the centromers. This results in an extremely large chromosome and a tiny one, which is typically lost.
What disease is the most common of the chromosomal disorders?
Down syndrome.
What is the most frequent cause of Down syndrome?
Meiotic nondisjunction (95%).
What are Brushfield spots?
Speckled appearance of the iris that is associated with Down syndrome; not always present.
What is the karyotype of Edward syndrome?
Trisomy 18. 47XX or XY +18.
What is the cause of Edward syndrome and what are five clinical signs?
Nondisjunction; I. Mental Retardation. II. Low set earts and micrognathia. III. Congenital heart defects. IV. Overlapping flexed fingers. V. Rocker-bottom feet.
What is the karyotype of Patau syndrome?
Trisomy 13. 47XX or XY+13.
What is the cause of Patau syndrome and what are six clinical signs?
Nondisjunction; I. Mental Retardation. II. Cleft lip and/or palate. III Cardiac defects. IV. Renal abnormalities. V. Microcephaly. VI. Polydactyly.
What is the karyotype of Cri du Chat syndrome?
46XX or Xy, 5p-.
What is the cause of Cri du Chat syndrome and what are four clinical signs?
Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5; I. characteristic high pitched cat-like cry. II. Mental retardation. III. Congenital heart diseae. IV. Microcephaly.
What is the cause of retinoblastoma?
Microdeletion of 13q14.
What is the cause of Wilm tumor?
Microdeletion of 11p13.
What is the karyotype of Klinefelter syndrome and what is the cause?
47 XXY; meiotic nondisjunction.
What is the karyotype of Turner syndrome?
45 XO.
What is a true hermaphordite?
Presence of both ovarian and testicular tissue within an individual.
What are Mendelian disorders?
Disorders characterized by single gene mutation.
What are point mutations?
Single nucleotide base substitution.
What are synonymous mutations?
AKA silent mutations: a base substitution resulting in a codon that codes for the same amino acid.
What is a Missense mutaiton?
A base substitution resulting in a new codon and a change in amino acids.
What is a nonsense mutation?
A base substitution producing a stop codon and therefore producing a truncated protein.
What is a frameshift mutation?
Insertion or deletion of bases leading to a shift in the reading frame of the DNA.
What is Cystic fibrosis?
AKA Mucoviscidosis, mutation of the chloride channel protein , cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), leads to abnormally thick viscous mucous, which obstructs the ducts of exocrine organs.
Where is the CFTR gene located?
Chromosome 7.
What enzyme converts phenylalanine into tyrosine?
Phenylalanine hydroxylase.
What causes phenylketonuria (PKU)?
Deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, resulting in toxic levels of phenylalanine.
What causes alkaptonuria (ochronosis)?
Deficiency of homogentisic oxidase resulting in the acumulation of homogentisic acid. Homogentisic acid has an affinity for connective tissue (especially cartilage) resulting in a black discoloration (ochronosis).
What is Type I glycogen storage disease and what are its symptoms?
von Gierke disease; caused by the deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate. Causes hepatomegaly and hypoglycemia.
What is Type II glycogen storage disease and what are its symptoms?
Pompe disease; caused by deficiency of Lysosomal glucosidase (acid maltase). Causes hepatomegaly, skeletal muscle hypotonia, cardiomegaly, and death from cardiac failure by age two.
What is Type IV glycogen storage disease and what are its symptoms?
McArdle syndrome; caused by deficiency of muscle phosphorylase. Causes exercise-induced muscle cramps.
What causes Tay-Sachs disease?
A type pf lysosomal storage disease, it is caused b a deficiency of hexosaminidase A; leads to the accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in the lysosomes of the CNS and retina.
What are the symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis?
I. Lungs: Recurrent pulmonary infection, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis. II. Pancreas: Insufficiency, fat malabsorption, deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins. III. Male reproductive system: Obstruction of vas deferens and epididymis - may lead to infertility. IV. Liver: Plugging of the biliary canaliculi may result in biliary cirrhosis. V. GI tract: samll intestinal obstruction (meconium ileus).
How is Cystic Fibrosis diagnosed?
I. Sweat test (elevated NaCl). II. DNA probes.