DEFECTIVE GENE Meaning and
Definition
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A defective gene refers to a genetic mutation or alteration in a sequence of DNA that disrupts the normal functioning of a gene, resulting in an abnormal or faulty product that may lead to the development of a genetic disorder or disease. Genes are the hereditary units responsible for encoding the instructions that govern the production of proteins and other essential molecules in a living organism.
Defective genes can arise spontaneously during DNA replication or be inherited from parents who carry the mutated gene. These mutations can occur in various forms, including base pair substitutions, insertions, deletions, or duplications, leading to alterations in the genetic code of the affected gene. As a consequence, the gene's protein product may be structurally or functionally impaired, affecting the normal cellular processes and potentially causing disease.
The presence of defective genes can predispose individuals to a wide range of conditions, from relatively mild disorders to severe inherited diseases such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, or Huntington's disease. Notably, the inheritance pattern of defective genes can follow different modes, including autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked inheritance, which determines the likelihood of passing the mutation onto future generations.
Understanding defective genes and their role in genetic disorders is crucial for medical research, genetic counseling, and the development of interventions like gene therapies, where strategies are targeted at correcting or compensating for the defective gene to restore normal gene function and mitigate the associated health effects.
Common Misspellings for DEFECTIVE GENE
- sefective gene
- xefective gene
- cefective gene
- fefective gene
- refective gene
- eefective gene
- dwfective gene
- dsfective gene
- ddfective gene
- drfective gene
- d4fective gene
- d3fective gene
- dedective gene
- decective gene
- devective gene
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- detective gene
- derective gene
- defwctive gene
- defsctive gene
Etymology of DEFECTIVE GENE
The word "defective" refers to something that is flawed, flawed, or not functioning properly. It originated in the late 14th century from the Latin word "defectivus", which means "wanting, faulty, or imperfect". This Latin term is derived from the verb "deficere", meaning "to desert or fail".
The word "gene" has a different etymology and comes from the early 20th-century. It is derived from the German word "Gen" coined by Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen in 1905. Johannsen used the term to describe the basic unit of heredity, and it eventually gained popularity and became widely used in genetics.
When combined, the term "defective gene" refers to a gene that has abnormalities or mutations, leading to a malfunctioning or altered genetic expression.
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