Genetic Disorders Flashcards
Mutation in a single gene (Mendelian DOs) characteristics:
Large effects.
Rare, high penetrance.
Chromosomal DOs characteristics:
Structural or numerical alterations in autosomes, sex chromosomes.
Rare, high penetrance.
Complex multigenic DOs characteristics:
More common, low penetrance.
Involves environmental and gene interactions.
Germ cell mutations give rise to:
Somatic cell mutations give rise to:
Inherited diseases.
Cancers and congenital malformations.
Missense vs. nonsense mutations
Missense - alter meaning of sequence of encoded protein (sickle cell).
Nonsense - replaced w/ a stop codon (B-thalessemia).
What do mutations in noncoding sequences include?
What is the outcome?
What transcription factors are involved?
Mutations in promoter, enhancer, splicing, etc.
Failure to form mRNA.
MYC, JUN, p53.
Trinucleotide-repeat
Amplification of a sequence of 3 nucleotides (G and C)
Anticipation
A genetic disorder, when passed down, has symptoms that become more apparent at an earlier age in each generation.
Ex: Huntington disease, myotonic dystrophy.
Types of point-mutations in:
CF
ABO
Tay-Sachs
CF - 3 base deletion (no frameshift)
ABO - single base deletion (frameshift)
Tay-Sachs - 4 base insertion (frameshift)
Codominance
Pleitropism
Genetic heterogeneity
Codominance: both alleles contribute to phenotype.
Pleitropism: single mutant gene causes many end effects.
Genetic heterogeneity: mutations at several loci may produce the same trait.
New autosomal dominant DOs tend to occur in:
Germ cells of older fathers.+3
Ex of loss of function AD disease
Familial hypercholesterolemia
Ex of gain of function AD disease
Huntington disease (proteins that are toxic to neurons)
2 patterns of DZ with Autosomal Dominant DOs
- Regulation of metabolic pathways that are subject to feedback inhbition. Ex - less receptors, increase in cholestrol in vessels –> hypercholesterolemia.
- Key structural protein damage. Ex - collagen and cytoskeletal elements of RBC membranes (OI).
When do symptoms onset in autosomal dominant DOs?
The age of onset is delayed. Sx tend to appear in adulthood.
Largest category of genetic DOs
Autosomal recessive
If a AR mutation arises out of nowhere, what should be a consideration?
Consanguinous marraige
What is the chance of developing a AR disease if both parents are carriers?
25%
What do AR diseases have in contrast w/ AD diseases? (5)
More uniform expression than AD.
Complete pentrance is more common.
Early onset.
Many of the mutations are involved in metabolism.
New mutations are rarely detected clinically.
What is the primary defect in CF?
What gene is involved?
Where on the chromosome?
Abnormal function of an epithelial Cl- channel protein.
CFTR
7q31.2
In what areas does the abnormal epithelial Cl- channel affect?
Affects fluid secretion in exocrine glands and epithelial lining of the respiratory tract, GI tract and reproductive tracts.
In CF, chronic lung disease is secondary to: (6)
Recurrent infections Pancreatic insufficiency Male infertility Meconium ileus Atelectasis Rectal prolapse
CF has an incidence in:
It is the most common lethal genetic disease in what population?
1/2500 live births.
Caucasion populations.
Inheritance pattern in CF
Heterozygote carriers have an increased incidence of:
Autosomal recessive.
Respiratory and pancreatic diseases as compared to general pop.
Most common bacterial infections in a patient w/ CF:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureas.
What test is used to detect CF?
Sweat chloride test
Incidence of PKU:
In what populations?
1/10k.
Mostly Scandinavian descent.
What is the inheritance pattern of PKU?
What is the enzymatic pathology?
What else can’t be made?
AR.
Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency, which leads to hyperphenylalaninemia.
Phe can’t make Tyr, which is a precursor for melanin.
Presentation of PKU
TTM
Normal at birth.
At 6 mo, severe retardation, hypopigmentation and eczema.
Strong musty odor in urine and sweat.
Dietary restrictions.
Most X-linked DOs are:
Where at in the chromosome? What is the relevance of this location?
Recessive.
Male-specific region of Y chromosome. Makes males usually infertile.
In X-linked recessive DOs, why are all daughters of affected males carriers?
Father can only pass down an X and his is recessive.
What 2 conditions are also present in a patient with CF?
What is generally the cause of death?
Emphysema
Bronchiectasis
COPD in 80-90% of cases.
What kind of inheritance is G6PD deficiency?
What occurs in G6PD?
X-linked recessive.
Drug induced hemolytic reactions.
Mechanism of mitochondrial inheritance
All children of an affected mother is affected.
Alterations in single gene mutations lead to:
4 main categories:
Abn products or decreased normal product.
- Enzyme defects
- Membrane defects
- Alterations in nonenzyme proteins
- Mutations leading to unusual drug reactions
3 major consequences of mutations leading to decreased activity (or abn function) of an enzyme and example diseases
- Acummulation of substrate: the build up protein or precursor is toxic. Ex - galactosemia (Gal 1-phosphate uridyltransferase deficiency).
- Decreased amount of end product. Ex - albanism (low tyr decreases melanin) and Lesch-Nyhan (increased intermediates and protein breakdown).
- Failure to inactivate a tissue-damaging substrate. Ex - a1-antitrypsin deficiency (can’t inactivate neutrophil elastase in the lung leading to emphysema).
Pathology of familial hypercholesterolemia
Decreased synthesis or function of LDL receptor -> defective transport of LDL into cells -> secondary increase in cholesterol.
Pathology of sickle cell disease
Defect in structure of globin molecule
Pathology of Thalassemias
Mutation in globin gene affects amount of globin chains synthesized
What causes the hemolytic anemia in G6PD?
Antimalarial primaquine
Inheritance pattern of Marfan’s disease:
Gene(s) involved and chromosome locations:
What protein is defective?
Incidence of Marfan’s:
AD.
FBN1 (15Q21.1) and less commonly FBN2 (5q23.31).
Fibrillin-1.
1/5k, 70-85% familial.
2 fundamental mechanisms oby which loss of fibrillin-1 leads to clinical manifestations
- Loss of structural support in microfibril rich CT.
2. Excessive activation of TGF-beta signaling.