L7: Human Genetic Variability And Its Consequences Flashcards
What percentage of DNA bases are identical when aligning any two human genomes?
Approximately 99.9%.
Example sentence: This high degree of similarity allows researchers to identify variations that may underlie diseases.
What is the significance of “heredity having constancy and inconstancy” in human genetics?
It reflects the balance between stability (constancy) to pass on traits reliably, and mutation (inconstancy), which introduces genetic differences necessary for evolution and adaptation.
Why is genetic variation important for the survival of populations?
It allows populations to adapt to environmental stresses and protects against being wiped out by disease. Without variation, populations are less adaptable to change.
What are examples of large-scale germ-line genetic variations?
Aneuploidy, translocations, and copy number variants (CNVs).
Example sentence: These variations can have significant impacts on an individual’s health and development.
What is aneuploidy?
one or more individual chromosomes being present in an extra copy or missing
Name a well-known condition caused by aneuploidy of chromosome 21.
Down syndrome (Trisomy 21).
Example sentence: Down syndrome is characterized by intellectual disabilities and certain physical features.
What is the incidence of aneuploidy (how common)
rare (approx 1:1000 newborns) as it is not compatible with life
What is the clinical consequence of aneuploidy
Gene dosage refers to the number of copies of a gene. In aneuploidy, too many or too few copies of genes on certain chromosomes can lead to severe developmental issues. Chromosomes with fewer genes (e.g., sex chromosomes) tend to be more tolerant of dosage changes than others (e.g., chromosome 1).
Examples of viable trisomy
Trisomy 21 (down syndrome)
Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)
Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)
XXY (Kleinefelters)- less severe as there are fewer genes on X and Y chromosomes
Example of a viable monosomy
X- Turner syndrome
What is a translocation?
The exchange of DNA between two different chromosomes during meiosis. Caused by non-homologous recombination
Example sentence: Translocations can lead to genetic disorders or predispose individuals to certain conditions.
What is the incidence of translocation
1:500 newborns
Clinical consequence of translocation
The clinical impact depends on whether there is a net gain or loss of genetic material or if important genes are disrupted, which can lead to developmental disorders or fertility issues.
What are copy number variants (CNVs)?
Deletions or duplications of DNA that are greater than 1000 base-pairs in size.
Example sentence: CNVs can result in changes to gene dosage and expression levels.
Incidence of CNVs
we all carry multiple CNVs in our genome
What is the general size threshold for copy number variants (CNVs) to be considered pathogenic?
CNVs larger than 1 million base-pairs tend to be pathogenic. They tend to be pathogenic, leading to conditions like learning disabilities, autism, or epilepsy.
Examples of small-scale germ-line genetic variations.
They include SNPs, microsatellites, and insertions/deletions, most of which are benign.
What is a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)?
A single base-pair change in the DNA sequence.
Example sentence: SNPs are the most common type of genetic variation in the human genome.
How many SNPs does the average human genome contain?
Around 3.5 million.
Example sentence: Studying SNPs can help identify genetic risk factors for various diseases.
What is the clinical significance of most SNPs?
The vast majority are benign and do not cause disease as it is only a single bp change. In rare conditions though, they can be disease-causing
Example sentence: Benign SNPs are important for understanding normal genetic variation.
What are microsatellites?
Short (2-5 bp) repeated units of DNA, commonly found in non-coding regions of the genome.
Example sentence: Microsatellites are used in DNA fingerprinting and forensic analysis.
What is the incidence of microsatellites
common. We have about 10,000 in our genome
Insertions and deletions
Small sections of DNA that are deleted or duplicated
What is the incidence of insertions and deletions in the human genome, and what is their usual clinical significance?
The human genome contains approximately 20,000 insertions and deletions per person, most of which are benign unless they affect coding regions of genes (exons).