How Do Genes Affect Our Health?

Genetics Unit Questions

What is a gene?

How do genes mutate?

What possible traits or diseases do we inherit from our genetic code?

Are genes our destiny?

Genetics

By

Deana Vernon

Overview

Basic genetics. The Human Genome Project Genes mutations. Inheritable conditions and

environmental factors. What you can do, if anything, about

your genes.

What is a gene?

A Gene is a basic unit of heredity found in the cells of all living organisms.

Genes are composed of long strings of DNA, a molecule that forms the long, threadlike structures called chromosomes.

Genes are like sentences made of the “letters” of the nucleotide alphabet,between them, genes direct the physical development & behavior of an organism.

Gene

Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project:

An international research project design to sequence and map the genome of all homo sapiens. Completed in April 2003.

Genome code.

How do genes mutate?

1) You can inherit a single gene mutation called an inheritable condition.

or2) A gene can mutate any time after birth called multi-factual inheritable disorder.

Several inheritable conditions:

Huntington Disease Cystic Fibrosis Sickle Cell Anemia Fragile X Syndrome Hemophilia Anti-trypsin deficiency Leber hereditary optic neuropathy

Several multi-factual disorders:

Heart disease Diabetes Schizophrenia Certain types of Cancers Certain types of addictions

Multi-factual disorders are also difficult to study and

treat because specific factors that cause these disorders have not yet been identified.

Genes are thought to behave (express) differently because of environmental factors.

So……

What will I inherit?

Knowledge is power! Know your genetic profile.

Create your own genetic profile at www.familyhistory.hhs.gov.

Interesting Websites To Visit

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/dna_double_helix/index.html

http://www.historicalgenetics.com

http://www.navigenics.com

http://www.genome.gov

http://www.familytreedna.com/default.aspx