Question

Genetic

Traits and genetic disorders are influenced in one way or another by the environment. On the other hand, the heritability of a disorder examines the variations in multifactorial traits due to genetics in a particular population and focuses on the genetic component of variations seen in a trait.

• Select a genetic disorder caused by a single-gene trait that is multifactorial. Explain how your chosen genetic disorder is influenced by the environment.
• Select two diseases—one with high heritability and one with low heritability—and describe the genetic components of the diseases. In your opinion, do the individuals who inherit these diseases have a high mortality, or death, rate? Why?

Autism

Autism has been widely debated and discussed in recent years. Many researchers argue that autism is a genetic disorder, while others debate that autism is a result of environmental influences.

• Rates of autism have been on the rise in the United States since 1990. Do these findings support the claim that the disease has a genetic basis? If so, how? If not, why not?
• Can environmental influences explain these findings? Why or why not?

Answer 1

1. One genetic disorder that is that is caused by a single trait that is multifactorial is cystic fibrosis . This disease is caused due to mutation in the specific gene called as " CFTR" that is responsible for making channel protein that transport chlorine ion out of lungs. As, this diseases is caused by mutation in single gene, it is called as single gene trait. Cystic fibrosis is mutifactorial too because it caused by the various environmental conditions like pollution, climate of the area, sex of the individual and age.

2. Disease with high heritability is "phenylketonuria" and disease with low heritability is Parkinson disease. Phenylketonuria is caused by the mutation in a gene that produce an enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. This enzyme is required for the metabolism of phenylalanine.  

Parkinson is caused by defect in the central nervous system. This disease occur when nerve cell start to die.

No, the individual who inherit these diseases do not have high mortality rates. This is because heritability of the disease affect on how the disease frequency is to passed from generation to generation but not on the death or mortality rates.