Admin Table of Contents
What happens when genes are altered?
Sometimes, gene variants (also known as mutations) prevent one or more proteins from working properly. By changing a gene’s instructions for making a protein, a variant can cause a protein to malfunction or to not be produced at all.
What factors contribute to genetic alterations?
There are two main causes for genetic alterations: External, environmental factors. Internal, genetic factors.
How does genetics affect human development?
As we all know, genes from our parents influence everything from height, weight, eye color, and other physical characteristics, to behavioral patterns in achievement, intelligence and motivation.
How can genetics affect a child’s development?
Genetic Interactions: Genes can sometimes contain conflicting information, and in most cases, one gene will win the battle for dominance. Some genes act in an additive way. For example, if a child has one tall parent and one short parent, the child may end up splitting the difference by being of average height.
How do genes affect phenotypic expression?
The genome in which a genotype is found can affect the expression of that genotype, and the environment can affect the phenotype. Genes can also be pleitropic when they affect more than one trait. The single base pair mutation that lead to sickle cell anemia is a classic example.
Why do genes mutate?
A mutation is a change in a DNA sequence. Mutations can result from DNA copying mistakes made during cell division, exposure to ionizing radiation, exposure to chemicals called mutagens, or infection by viruses.
How are genes affected by the environment?
Environmentally induced changes in gene expression occur when exposure to chemicals changes which genes are turned “on” or “off”—which can change how the cells function and thus a person’s predisposition to disease. The effect of this chemical modification is called epigenetic regulation.
How does genes affect child growth and development?
What affects gene expression?
Various factors, including genetic makeup, exposure to harmful substances, other environmental influences, and age, can affect expressivity. Both penetrance and expressivity can vary: People with the gene may or may not have the trait and, in people with the trait, how the trait is expressed can vary.
How do genes and environment affect phenotypic expression?
Environment Can Impact Phenotype Environmental factors such as diet, temperature, oxygen levels, humidity, light cycles, and the presence of mutagens can all impact which of an animal’s genes are expressed, which ultimately affects the animal’s phenotype.