12th Class Biology Principle Of Inheritance And Variation

  • question_answer 15)
    Mention any two autosomal genetic disorders with their symptoms. 

    Answer:

    (i) Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder of infants, children and young adults that is due to a recessive autosomal allele present on chromosome 7. It is common in Caucasian northern Europeans and white north Americans. The disease gets its name from the fibrous cysts that appear in the pancreas. In 70% of cases, it is due to deletion of three bases. It produces a defective glycoprotein. The defective glycoprotein causes formation of thick mucus in skin, lungs, pancreas, liver and other secretory organs. Accumulation of thick mucus in lungs results in obstruction of airways. Because of it the disease was also called mucoviscoides. Mucus deposition in pancreas blocks secretion of pancreatic juice/There is maldigestion of food with high fat content in stool. Liver may undergo cirrhosis and there is impaired production of bile. Vasa deferentia of males undergo atrophy. (ii) Huntington's disease or Huntington's chorea is a dominantly autosomal inherited disorder in which muscle and mental deterioration occurs. There is gradual loss of motor control resulting in uncontrollable shaking and dance like movements (chorea). The brain shrinks between 20-30% in size followed by slurring of speech, loss of memory and hallucinations. Life expectancy averages 15 years from the onset of symptoms. This disorder does not occur till the age of 25 to 55. The defective gene is dominant autosomal, located on chromosome 4. This defective gene has 42 -100 repeats of CAG instead of 10-34 repeats in normal gene. The frequency of this disorder is 1 in 10000 to 1 in 20000.  


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