SIR TUM TUM
Who is more likely to acquire DMD, boys or girls? Why is that? Could a person have a mutated gene for dystrophin but not have DMD? How?
Boys are most likely to acquire DMD because they only have 1 X chromosome therefore if they have DMD they wouldn't have another X to produce dystrophin, unlike girls. A person could have a mutated gene for dystrophin, but not have DMD for example girls can because they can also be carriers.
How does someone acquire (get) Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy? Is DMD inherited from a person's parents or do they get it from the environment? Explain.
DMD is a genetic mutation in DNA that causes no production of dystrophin. Dystrophin works to strengthen muscle fibers and protect them from injury. Because DMD is a genetic mutation, therefore it would be inherited from a person's parents and not from the environment
. If we found a way to repair a single cell with the DMD gene in a 2-year old child, could we cure DMD by repairing that single cell?
NO, by repairing that single cell we couldn't cure DMD. Repairing one cell wouldn't work because cells multiply and all our cells would already be programmed to not make dystrophin.
Over time, what happens to the muscles of people with DMD? Why is there controversy about whether DMD patients should engage in normal exercises, such as running? Why do some doctors recommend it, even though others think it is risky?
Over time people's muscles with DMD will eventually breakdown and won't be able to repair themselves. Fat and scar tissue gets replaced in the muscle bundles and you can't move fat and scar tissue. There is controversy about whether DMD patients should engage in normal exercise because vigorous activity will increase stress on muscles and increase muscle degeneration. Some doctors recommend it, even though others think it's risky because it helps build strong bones and help support physical, emotional, and social skills.
What is the function of dystrophin in muscles? How does a mutation affect the function of dystrophin? Be sure to explain how different types of mutations cause different types of muscular dystrophy.
The function of dystrophin in the muscles is to help prevent injury and overstretching. A mutation doesn't affect the function of dystrophin because it isn't there since it doesn't code at all. Therefore the lack of dystrophin makes people's muscles with DMD tear easily.
Genes include information used to make something in cells. What is supposed to happen with the information on the gene for dystrophin and what happens when a person has a mutation of the gene?
The information on the gene is supposed to code for specific proteins. When a person has a mutation of the gene, like people with DMD do not code for it at all.
People who have muscular dystrophy have something called a "mutation." How does that mutation arise? Be sure to show what is happening to DNA and mRNA'.
The mutation arises in the DNA it causes dystrophin, a protein, to not be produced. During transcription mRNA possibly could've not have sent the right message and didn't code the DNA correctly.
It's very rare for someone with two X chromosomes to have DMD. Explain how a person with two X chromosomes could have the symptoms of DMD using what you know about inheritance and random mutation.
Using what I know about inheritance and random mutation a person with 2 X chromosomes could have the symptoms of DMD if their dad had it and their mom was a carrier.