Chromosomal Aberrations Flashcards
What are chromosomal aberrations?
Abnormalities in structure and number of chromosomes
What is meant by the term aneuploid?
uneven number of chromosomes (e.g. 1 or 3)
What are the three trismonies that can be observed in practice?
13 patau
18 Edwards
21 down
A person with only one X chromosome and no Y has what syndrome?
Turner’s syndrome
What is the genotype of someone with Klinefelter syndrome?
XXY
What are the two ways in which structural chromosomal abnormalities occur?
Non-homologus end joining
Unbalanced recombination
Which are generally more severe: duplications or deletions?
Deletions
What is CRI-Du-Chat syndrome?
Arises from a deletion on chromosome 5
What is Di George syndrome?
microdeletion on chromosome 22. Results are very variable but include: Immunodeficiency Hypoarathroidism MR cleft palate
What is an insertion?
Taking a part of one chromosome and inserting it into another
What is a translocation?
Taking a part of one chromosome and attaching it onto the end of another
A translocation between chromosome 9 and 22 produces what disease?
The Philadelphia chromosome–Ber/Abl protein—chronic myeloid leukemia
What is a Robertsonian translocation?
When two chromosomes simultaneously exchange material via translocation. Results in the longs pairing, and the shorts pairing
How do inversions happen?
When a chromosome is damaged and the broken fragment is attached upside down
True or false: inversions of chromosomes are almost always lethal for the carrier.
False
True or false: inversions of chromosomes are almost always lethal for the carrier’s offspring. Why/why not?
True, because the inverted regions have to loop around in meiosis to pair with the homologous chromosome. If crossover occurs, then this is a translocation
What is a balanced alteration?
A chromosomal rearrangement that does not change the amount of DNA in the affected cell
What is an unbalanced alteration?
A chromosomal rearrangement that changes the amount of DNA in the affected cell
True or false: carriers of balanced alterations are usually aware of their condition?
False
True or false: carriers of balanced alteration usually produce viable offspring
False
What is karyotyping?
Studying the composition of the chromosomes in a cell