Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Genetics51m
- 2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
- 3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
- 4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
- 5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
- 6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
- 7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
- 8. DNA Replication1h 10m
- 9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
- 10. Transcription1h 0m
- 11. Translation58m
- 12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
- 13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
- 14. Genetic Control of Development44m
- 15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
- 16. Transposable Elements47m
- 17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
- 18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- 19. Cancer Genetics29m
- 20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
- 21. Population Genetics50m
- 22. Evolutionary Genetics29m
8. DNA Replication
Telomeres and Telomerase
3:11 minutes
Problem 38a
Textbook Question
Textbook QuestionGo to the OMIM website (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim) and type 'dyskeratosis congenita autosomal dominant 1' (DKCA1) into the search bar. The result will include a clickable link to the disorder that has an OMIM number of 127550. Review the OMIM information you retrieve and notice that this disorder is caused by a mutation of a telomerase gene that results in abnormally rapid shortening of telomeres and the appearance of disease symptoms at progressively younger ages in successive generations of the affected families. Use this and other information on OMIM to assist with this problem. Go the reference number 15 at the bottom of the OMIM page for a link to a 2004 paper by Tom Vulliamy and colleagues that appeared in the journal Nature Genetics. Click on the 'Full text' option and download a copy of the paper. Look at Table 1 of the paper on page 448. This table lists the lengths of telomeres measured in members of the families in this study. Telomeres shorten with age, and the telomere lengths in Table 1 are age-adjusted. The negative numbers for telomere lengths in the table indicate that telomeres are shorter than average for age, and the more negative the number, the shorter the telomere. Based on Table 1, discussion in the Vulliamy et al. (2004) paper, and information available on OMIM answer the following: How do telomere lengths in children compare with telomere lengths of their parents?
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Telomeres
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences located at the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from deterioration or fusion with neighboring chromosomes. They play a crucial role in cellular aging and stability, as they shorten with each cell division. When telomeres become critically short, cells can enter senescence or undergo apoptosis, which is significant in understanding age-related diseases and genetic disorders like dyskeratosis congenita.
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Genetic Mutations
Genetic mutations are alterations in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes in gene function or expression. In the case of dyskeratosis congenita autosomal dominant 1 (DKCA1), mutations in telomerase genes result in impaired telomere maintenance, leading to accelerated telomere shortening. Understanding how these mutations affect telomere length is essential for analyzing the inheritance patterns and symptoms of the disorder.
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Mutations and Phenotypes
Age-Adjusted Telomere Lengths
Age-adjusted telomere lengths are measurements that account for the expected telomere length based on an individual's age. In studies like the one by Vulliamy et al. (2004), negative values indicate that an individual's telomere length is shorter than the average for their age group. This concept is vital for comparing telomere lengths between children and their parents, as it helps to identify whether the children are experiencing accelerated telomere shortening relative to their parental generation.
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