Mutations in gene “X” are responsible for breast cancer and can be inherited into the next progeny. In one such case, one affected male parent (a father) who had only one affected parent (can be either male or female) too came to a genetic counselor. Upon the testing recommended by the counselor, it has been found that that male parent’s child has a 50% risk of developing the cancer. Can you discuss the inheritance pattern of this disease for this male parent? In which Mendelian disorder, all the children of a mother (both of her alleles of a gene on X chromosome are pathogenic) could also be affected?
.a. Mutations in gene “X” are responsible for breast cancer and can be inherited into the next progeny. In one such case, one affected male parent (a father) who had only one affected parent (can be either male or female) too came to a genetic counselor. Upon the testing recommended by the counselor, it has been found that that male parent’s child has a 50% risk of developing the cancer. Can you discuss the inheritance pattern of this disease for this male parent?
In which Mendelian disorder, all the children of a mother (both of her alleles of a gene on X chromosome are pathogenic) could also be affected?
Mendelian or gene related human disorders are caused due to mutation in single gene. They follow mendelian principles and are inherited from one generation to other in such a way that the pattern can be studied by pedigree analysis.
From the given information we can predict that the gene mutation has arise in the autosomal chromosome. Also, the inheritance of breast cancer is not sex specific thus it can not be a sex-linked disorder.
Autosomal dominant inheritance means that the gene for the given trait is located on autosomes and only a single copy of that gene is enough to pass down this disorder. An autosomal dominant trait seldom skips a generation thus show vertical pattern of inheritance. If a trait is showing dominant inheritance then at least one of the parents must be affected to have the affected progeny. Thus, the inheritance patter of breast cancer could be autosomal dominant.
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