You and Your Genes in 10 minutes

Genes and Genes are found in the nuclei of your cells. You are the result of two things... The environment eg sun will make skin darker and Genes Genes are found in the nuclei of your cells. They are instructionsfor making proteins. They can make structural proteins - these build the body, and enzymes which speed up chemical reactions in the body.

largest Inside each cell is a nucleus. Inside the nucleus are 46 chromosomes. Each chromosome contains thousands of genes. Chromosomes are made of a chemical called DNA. smallest

You have 46 chromosomes. There are 23 pairs of chromosomes. The 23rd pair = the sex chromosomes. 23 of your chromosomes come from your mother. 23 of your chromosomes come from your father. XX = female XY = male A gene found on the Y chromosome causes embryos to develop as male

So - chromosomes come in pairs, and you have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Your genes also come in pairs. Different versions of genes are known as alleles. The gene for ear lobe attachment is shown here. E = unattached. e = attached. Which allele is dominant? Will this person have attached or unattached ear lobes?

genetic cross Father = Ee Mother = Ee unattached Earlobes what percentage of their offspring are likely to have attached earlobes?

Cystic Fibrosis and Huntington's Disease Two genetic diseases that you need to know about... Cystic Fibrosis and Huntington's Disease

Cystic Fibrosis faulty allele is recessive Respiritory System individual with one recessive allele is a carrier individual with two recessive alleles has cystic fibrosis what is the chance of two carriers having a child with CF? Ff x Ff Cystic Fibrosis Digestive system Thick sticky mucus in pancreas prevents enzyme release. Food not digested properly. Respiritory System Thick sticky mucus blocks passageways in the lungs. Breathlessness and respiritory diseases.

faulty allele is dominant individual with one dominant alleles has Huntington's Disease Symptoms of HD= loss of muscle control forgetfulness loss of understanding Huntingdon’s Disease

Nearly there...

PRE-IMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS GENETIC TESTING adults, fetuses or embryos remove a cell test for disease causing allele adults may choose not to have children termination of fetus with disease fertilisation takes place in lab remove a cell from 8 cell embryo test for disease causing allele only implant embryo without disease What can science do about genetic disease? GENE THERAPY could be used to cure genetic disease eg CF make lots of copies of normal allele put alleles into virus virus 'infects' bone marrow cells genetically modified cells placed back inside body

CLONING could be used to treat human illness - 'theraputic cloning' stem cells unspecialised cells can become any type of cell genetically identical differences caused by environment some organisms clone themselves eg spider plants CLONING

should we test fetuses for genetic disorders? remember the issues... should we test fetuses for genetic disorders? are you worried about employers or insurance companies knowing your genetic information? is it ethical to terminate a fetus? is gene therapy playing God? would you think so if it could cure you of a terminal illness? is cloning animals acceptable? how about humans? why? why not?