Cystic fibrosis is a disease caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis gene. This gene provides instructions for making a protein called cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Mutations in the CFTR gene lead to production of an abnormal CFTR protein, or no CFTR protein at all. As a result, salt and water balance in the body is disrupted, causing mucus buildup and respiratory problems.
There is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but treatments can help manage the symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. Researchers are working to develop new treatments and improve existing ones.
Cystic fibrosis is an incurable genetic illness that primarily affects the digestive system and lungs. This sickness is the most prevalent fatal hereditary disease in Caucasians, affecting about one out of every 2,500 people. CF was the first human DNA disorder to be cloned by genetic researchers, and this essay aims to explain how it was discovered, how the gene is defective, how its physical traits look, and what therapies are available.
Inheritance of Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a mutation in the gene that encodes for the protein cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR). CFTR is a chloride channel that helps to regulate salt and water transport across cell membranes. The CFTR gene is located on chromosome 7, and the disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.
This means that an individual must inherit two mutated copies of the CFTR gene, one from each parent, in order to develop CF. If an individual only inherits one mutated copy of the gene, they will be a carrier for the disease but will not display any symptoms.
The Defective Gene
There are over 1,700 known mutations of the CFTR gene that can lead to CF. The most common mutation, called delta F508, results in the production of an abnormal CFTR protein. This protein is unable to reach the cell surface and function properly. As a result, chloride ions are not able to flow normally through the cell membranes, which disrupts the balance of salt and water in the body. This imbalance leads to the characteristic symptoms of CF, such as sticky mucus build-up in the lungs and digestive difficulties.
Physical Manifestations
The symptoms of CF vary depending on the severity of the disease. However, common symptoms include:
– Sticky mucus buildup in the lungs, which can lead to lung infections
– Digestive difficulties, such as pancreatic insufficiency and constipation
– Infertility in men
– Excessive sweating and salty tasting skin
Treatment Options
There is no cure for CF, but there are treatments available that can help to manage the symptoms of the disease. Treatment options include:
– Antibiotics to treat lung infections
– Airway clearance therapies to help remove mucus from the lungs
– Pancreatic enzymes to help with digestion
– Nutritional supplements
– Exercise programs to help strengthen the lungs
– Lung transplantation for severe cases
The standard technique to discover the gene that causes a hereditary disease is to first characterize the bio-chemical fault in the gene, then identify the mutated protein within it, and lastly find the actual gene. However, when looking for the CF gene, this classic approach becomes too time consuming. To find theCFgene, scientists utilized “reverse genetics.”
They did this by studying families in which CF was present, and observing the disease’s patterns of inheritance. This eventually led to the identification of the CF gene.
The Cystic Fibrosis Gene is located on chromosome 7. It codes for a protein called cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR). This protein regulates the movement of salt and water in and out of cells. In people with CF, the CFTR protein is defective. As a result, salt and water cannot flow properly in and out of the cells, leading to the characteristic symptoms of CF.
The most common mutation, called delta F508, is present in about 70% of people with CF. Other common mutations include G551D, G542X, and R117H. CFTR mutations can be classified into two categories: disease-causing mutations and disease-modifying mutations. Disease-causing mutations are those that completely prevent the CFTR protein from being made. As a result, these mutations cause the classic symptoms of CF. Disease-modifying mutations are those that allow some CFTR protein to be made. These mutations tend to result in a milder form of CF.
There is no cure for CF. However, treatments are available to help manage the symptoms of the disease and improve quality of life. These treatments include medications to help clear mucus from the lungs, antibiotics to treat infections, and nutritional supplements to help with weight gain and digestion. In some cases, lung transplant may be necessary.
Scientists are working on developing new treatments for CF. One promising treatment is ivacaftor (Kalydeco®). This medication targets the G551D mutation in the CFTR gene. It is effective in about 4% of people with CF. Researchers are also working on developing medications that would be effective against other CFTR mutations. These medications are still in clinical trials and are not yet available to the public.
There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis, but scientists are working hard to change that. In the meantime, there are treatments available that can help people with CF manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. With continued research, we hope to one day find a cure for this disease.
Then they test the gene’s product. However, before a particular chromosome can be linked to a disease, a marker must first be discovered that always travels with the condition. The term “Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism” (RFLP) refers to these markers, which are unique base sequences of DNA in different people whose presence is associated with hereditary diseases.
To figure out which of the two probes remained in the sample after Northern Blot electrophoresis, a second Southern Blot technique was utilized. This worked because Northern Blotselectrophoresis tests RNA rather than DNA. A gel was used to separate the RNA from CF-affected and unaffected cells as well as RNAs from both cell types.
When a current was applied, the RNA moved through the gel at different rates. This is because RNA is single stranded and will twist around itself, which makes it move slower than DNA. The DNA of unaffected cell types acted as a control in this experiment.
The Cystic Fibrosis Gene was first discovered in 1989 by two separate groups of researchers, one led by Lap-Chee Tsui in Toronto and the other by Francis Collins in Seattle. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. It is caused by a mutation in a gene called CFTR, which stands for “cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator”. This gene provides instructions for making a protein that is involved in the transport of salt and water across cell membranes. The CFTR protein is found in many different tissues, including the lungs, pancreas, sweat glands, and reproductive organs.
Mutations in the CFTR gene can cause cystic fibrosis by affecting the function of the CFTR protein. Most CFTR mutations lead to a protein that does not function correctly or is completely absent from cells. As a result, salt and water do not move properly across cell membranes, leading to the characteristic symptoms of cystic fibrosis.
