Genes and Disease🔗

Some diseases involve single gene mutation such as sickle-cell anemia, which affects only a small subset of humanity. Other diseases involve multiple genes. Over 100 genes are implicated in susceptibility to asthma and cancer is a disease of genomic instability often involving the mutation (change) of genes from their normally programmed behavior.

Gene-related metabolic pathways such as MAP-K, which stands for Mitogen Associated Protein Kinase, are implicated in the processing of long-term potentiation (LTP), the basis for learning and memory.

• In the nucleus of the cell as chromosomes, completely covered (protected) by a histone coat

In human beings, DNA is present:

• In the organelle called the mitochondrion, the powerhouse or energy-producing battery of the cell. Mitochondrial DNA, is naked , unprotected by the histone coat. This makes the mitochondrial DNA more susceptible to damage.

Built-in mechanisms function to constantly repair the DNA when errors occur.