BIOLOGY 1111

CHAPTER 12

Instructor Terry Wiseth

Northland Community & Technical College

CHROMOSOMAL THEORY OF INHERITANCE

1) Genes

Units of instruction for heritable traits are arranged in succession on chromosome

2) Sexual reproduction

assures that each new individual will have same number of chromosomes as its parents

3) Diploid cells (2N)

have homologous chromosomes which line up with each other during meiosis

4) Independent Assortment

Genes located on different chromosomes are inherited independently of each other

5) Genetic re-combinations

occur during crossing over

6) Chromosomal abnormalities

deletions, duplications, inversions, or misplacements occur during meiosis

7) Variation

Independent assortment, crossing over and chromosomal abnormalities lead to variation upon which selection agents can act leading to evolution

AUTOSOMES & SEX CHROMOSOMES

A distinctive pair of chromosomes which are different in males and females

Carry hereditary instructions about gender

Human, mammals

XX Female

XY Male

birds, moths

XX is male

XY is female

Autosomes

similar shaped chromosomes which do not govern sex of an individual

KARYOTYPE

Chromosomes can be characterized at metaphase by

length

banding patterns

centromere location

Visual representation of arranged chromosomes

Karyotypes can be used to identify chromosomal abnormalities

SEX DETERMINATION

Y-chromosomes carries "male determining gene"

causes new individual to develop testes

SEX DETERMINATION

SRY gene

Sex determining Region on Y chromosome

master gene on Y chromosome for male sex determination

becomes active 4 weeks after conception

SEX DETERMINATION

individuals lacking the Y chromosome will result in females

X chromosome have genes that deal with non-sexual traits

GENE LINKAGE

When inheritance of a chromosome is coupled to that of a particular gene the condition is called linkage

If the chromosome involved is a sex chromosome, the trait is said to be sex-linked

Genes on the same chromosome belong to the same linkage group

these genes do not separate independently during meiosis

Linkage is the tendency of genes located on the same chromosome to be transmitted together in inheritance

Linkage can be disrupted by crossing over

CROSSING OVER

an exchange of parts of homologous chromosomes

Crossing over between homologous chromosomes disrupts gene linkages

results in the production of non-parental combinations of genes in chromosomes

LINKAGE MAPPING

a method of measuring the relative linear distances between genes on the same chromosome

the farther apart two genes are on a chromosome

the greater the frequency of crossing over and therefore of genetic recombination

CHROMOSOME MAPPING

Chromosome map

the puffed region indicates an active area of the chromosome

Comparative scale of mapping chromosomes

HUMAN GENOME PROJECT

Attempt to map every gene in the human genome

Expected to be complete by 2005

LINKAGE EXAMPLE

each germ cell contains two of each chromosome

one from each parent

the yellow chromosome was inherited from the father

the green from the mother

When genes are very close together on a chromosome, crossing over does not occur

Fifty percent of the gametes receive one parental chromosome and the other fifty percent receive the other

Linked genes that are some distance apart may be recombined by crossing over, creating new genotypes in the gametes

The farther apart two genes are on a chromosome, the greater will be the frequency of crossing over

SEX-LINKED CHARACTERISTICS

Genes located on X and Y chromosomes are called sex-linked

SEX-LINKED INHERITANCE

X- linked

mutated gene on X (not Y) sex chromosome

Ex: Hemophilia

Y-linked

mutated gene on Y sex chromosome

no direct evidence of any Y-linked traits

PEDIGREES

Pedigrees-Charts of genetic relationships of individuals

ROYAL PEDIGREE CHART

Queen Alexandra of Russia (Hemophilia carrier)

GENETIC DISORDERS

Over 1,000 known genetic disorders

most are recessive

1) Sex-linked

2) Autosomal mutations

3) Chromosomal structural abnormalities

4) Chromosome number variations

SEX-LINKED

Sex linked genes are carried on the X or the Y chromosome

usually recessive

Hemophilia

Color-blindness

Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Eye color in fruit flies

Calico coat color in cats

Anhydrotic ectodermal dysplasia

Y-linked (baldness ?)

Faulty enamel

HEMOPHILIA

19th century European Royal Family – Queen Victoria

X chromosome carries genes necessary to produce enzymes essential for causing blood to clot

Factor VIII

1-7000

COLOR BLINDNESS

red-green color blindness

normal individuals can see over 150 colors

color blind can see less than 25

Ex: Color-blind male x normal female

X Y x X X

daughters = carriers

sons = normal

grandsons may show trait

Color-blind carrier X normal male

XX x XY

50% chance color-blind son

50% chance color-blind carrier

DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPY

X-linked recessive

Progressive weakening and loss of muscle tissue

missing protein dystrophin

1-3500 male infants

death by age 20

EYE-COLOR IN FRUIT FLIES

Wild-type = red eyes (XR)

Muted gene = white eyes (Xr)

CALICO COAT COLOR IN CATS

Calico coat coloration in cats is a sex-linked characteristic

each of the X sex chromosomes carry a gene for coat color

one for black and the other for yellow

during embryonic development one of the two chromosomes was inactivated at random in each of the cells that had formed at that time

all of the cellular descendents of each cell will have the same gene inactivated

leaving only one functional gene for coat color

the different patches of color are produced depending on which allele is functional in the cells making up that tissue in any given region

the white patches result from interactions with other genes that determine if there is any deposition of pigment and thus color at all

ANHIDROTIC ECTODERMAL DYSPLASIA

Similar inheritance to calico coat color in cats

heterozygous for recessive allele on X chromosome that prevents sweat glands from forming

mosaic patches of tissues where maternal and paternal genes of X sex chromosome are expressed

MALE PATTERN BALDNESS

May be a sex-influenced recessive trait

influences are probably carried on the Y chromosome

mutated gene on the Y chromosome

Trait seems to follow paternal lines of inheritance

Adams Family

Y-INFLUENCED TRAITS

Feather development in poultry

Horn development in Dorset sheep

Hairy ears in humans

FAULTY ENAMEL

Dominant sex-linked trait

enamel coating that protects the teeth does not develop properly

allele is expressed in heterozygous females

can a son inherit this disease from their father?

AUTOSOMAL MUTATIONS

Mutations on genes other than the sex chromosomes

usually recessive but can be dominant

Dominant

Hypercholesterolemia

Huntington’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease

Retinoblastoma

Achondroplasia

Progeria

ALS

HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

Caused by excess cholesterol in the blood

leads to heart disease and hardening of the arteries

1-500 are heterozygous for the condition

HH = normal

Hh = mild disease

hh = severe disease, usually die in childhood

HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE

degeneration of the nervous system

always fatal

disease which killed folk singer Woody Guthrie

"This Land is Your Land"

Homozygous and heterozygous individuals will experience symptoms of the disease

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Mental deterioration

may include uncontrollable movements

disease usually manifests itself after the age of 60 years old

1-25,000

RETINOBLASTOMA

Cancer in the eyes of infants

mutated gene which normally prevents development of cancer

afflicted individuals have only one copy of the cancer suppressor gene

ACHONDROPLASIA

Dwarfism

Early-aging

homozygous state is lethal in the embryo

head and trunk are normal size

1-25,000

PROGERIA

accelerated aging

1 in 8,000,000

no cure

thin skin, soft bone, hair loss, hardening of arteries

probably caused by spontaneous mutation as a dominant gene

dominant lethal gene

ALS

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Lou Gerhig’s Disease

1 in 1000 individuals

Defective EAAT2 gene

specifies a membrane transport protein

protein sponges up excess glutamate in the CNS

glutamate serves as a communication signal between neurons and muscle cells

in excess amounts glutamate kills cells

AUTOSOMAL MUTATIONS

Recessive

Tay-Sachs disease

Sickle cell anemia

Cystic Fibrosis

Galactosemia

Albinism

PKU

 

TAY - SACHS DISEASE

1-3,500

1 in 30 Jews of Russian origin is carrier

lack of enzyme

N-acetylhexosaminidase

Disease results from lipid accumulation in brain cells

mental deficiency, blindness

death at ages 3-6

able to be diagnosed prenatally

SICKLE CELL ANEMIA

1-500 African Americans

gene defect in normal function of the hemoglobin molecule

hemoglobin binds oxygen at normal concentrations but at low oxygen concentrations (under exercise stress)

molecules become insoluble, clump, cell assumes sickle shape, poor at carrying oxygen

Genetics

HbA = normal allele

HbB = sickle allele

HbA HbA = normal

HbA HbB = normal carrier

HbB HbB = anemic, often lethal

in Africa, find up to 40-45% of native population are carriers

Why?

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

most common genetic disease among Caucasians

1-1800

1 in 20 carriers (Caucasians)

6000 children born each year with disease

with treatment afflicted are able to survive to adulthood

individuals afflicted with CF experience

lung failure (suffocation)

secretes thick mucus

liver failure

blocks ducts of liver & pancreas

Sweat is salty

most people have Cl- channel in membrane

CF people don't pass Cl-

sweat does not taste salty

Water is prevented from passing from bloodstream into lung passages

mucus becomes too thick

GALACTOSEMIA

1 in 100,000 newborns

galactose not able to be metabolized

accumulations of galactose in cells

eye, liver damage

treatment includes eliminate galactose from the diet

ALBINISM

1-22,000

involves a defective gene for proper melanin production

individuals lack pigmentation in skin and hair

PKU

Phenylketonuria

1 in 10,000

1 in 50 is a carrier

inability to break down a toxic product of protein metabolism (Phenylalanine)

brain damage, mental retardation in infant

if detected early, can control diet, prevent symptoms

reduce intake of amino acid phenylalanine

CHROMOSOMAL STRUCTURAL ABNORMALITIES

1) deletions

2) duplications

3) inversions

4) translocation

DELETION

Loss of chromosome segment

Cri-du-chat syndrome

Deletion of arm of chromosome 5

DUPLICATION

Important in evolution as duplicate free to mutate with no harmful consequence

Fragile X Syndrome

INVERSION

A reversal of position and relative order of genes on chromosomes

TRANSLOCATION

Transfer of part of one chromosome to a non-homologous chromosome

May change chromosome number

CRI-DU-CHAT

deletion of part of chromosome #5

Mental retardation

abnormally formed larynx

FRAGILE X SYNDROME

multiple copies of FMR-1 (700+) gene

Mental retardation

1-1500 males

1-2500 females

CHROMOSOMAL NUMBER VARIATION

Sometimes, meiosis makes mistakes

chromosome nondisjunctions

Result is egg or sperm with one too many or one too few chromosomes

CHROMOSOMAL NUMBER VARIATION

Usually causes spontaneous abortion

for smallest chromosomes, development can occur with one extra chromosome

NON-DISJUNCTION

Mechanism by which chromosome number changes

Trisomy Monosomy

1 extra 1 missing

Normal Meiosis

Non-disjunction meiosis

ANEUPLOIDY

Extra, or missing chromosome

Occurs one of every two newly fertilized eggs

Miscarried (usually)

POLYPLOIDY

Three or more extra, missing chromosomes

Lethal to humans

Common in plants

DOWN SYNDROME

extra chromosome #21 (trisomy 21)

Maturation of bones slowed (short stature)

mental development affected

always mentally retarded

occurs in 1 in 750 children

also in higher primates

incidence of Down increases with mother's age

if mother is young, risk is very low

By age 45 risk is as high as 1 in 16

extra copy of the Gart gene leads to high levels of purines

may account for the mental retardation associated with the syndrome

tests are available to detect substances in the blood that would identify mothers who are carrying a Down syndrome child

NONDISJUNCTION OF SEX CHROMOSOMES

occur just as often as autosomal nondisjunctions

but not as lethal

KLINEFELTER’S SYNDROME

TURNER’S SYNDROME

XYY SYNDROME

XXX or XXXX SYNDROMES

KLINEFELTER’S SYNDROME

XX Y male

47 chromosomes

1/2000 births

mild mental and sexual retardation

sterility

TURNER’S SYNDROME

1-5000 births

Missing Y or X sex chromosome

45 chromosome

Sterile, premature aging

XYY SYNDROME

1-2000 births

usually tall

Mild mental retardation

Predisposition to violent behavior?

Controversy about prison inmates

2% prisoners have XYY, vs. 0.01% in general population

but note that 96% lead normal lives

XXX or XXXX SYNDROMES

no apparent harmful consequences

Only one X chromosome is active per cell

Other one stays condensed as Barr body

Detection of Barr body used to bar certain contestants from Olympics

"women" with no Barr Body are actually XY individuals with female genitals and secondary sex

GENETIC COUNSELING

Frequency of birth defects

250,000 children born each year with birth defects

3% of all pregnancies

Sometimes possible to identify carriers

ex: Sickle cell anemia

PRENATEL DIAGNOSIS

Amniocentesis

14th-16th week

about two week diagnosis

Chorionic villi sampling (CVS)

8th week

2 day diagnosis

Family Pedigree

CONQUERING GENETIC DISEASE

What faulty gene causes the disease?

What protein does this gene normally produce?

Can the defective protein or gene be fixed?

END CHAPTER 12 HUMAN GENETICS

Back to the Index