What is the Robertson translocation?
Robertson translocation is a type of chromosomal abnormality that can cause a number of different human diseases. It occurs when a piece of one chromosome breaks and connects to another chromosome. In order to be considered a Robertson translocation, this regrouping must include chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22, which are acrocentric, which means that one chromosomal arm is much shorter than the other. Although this translocation does not always cause immediate problems, this may lead to the fact that human descendants have too many copies of the chromosome. Conditions such as Down syndrome may be caused by this chromosomal abnormality. This information is divided into various segments called chromosomes and normal people have two sexual chromosomes as well as two copies of 22 other chromosomes referred to as autosomal chromosomes. Each chromosome consists of a segment called a long arm, which is connected to a segment called a short arm in Centromere. Sometimes a piece of one of theseChromosomes can tear off and connect with another chromosome. This phenomenon is referred to as translocation.
One type of translocation is called Robertsonian Translocation. This translocation occurs only between the so -called acrocentric chromosomes, including chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22, which differ from other chromosomes because they have elongated long arms and shorten short shoulders that bear much important genetic information. When the Robertsonian translocation occurs, the long arms of one chromosome are connected to the long arm of another chromosome and the short arms are effectively lost in mixing. This switch can occur between two homologous chromosomes, for example between two different copies of chromosome14, or between non -homologous chromosomes, such as chromosomes 14 and 22.
Robertson translocations do not always cause immediate problems. Loss of short arms of chromosomes does not cause any problems because tATO genetic information was not critical. Both original long arms are still present in the core, although they are connected in a different configuration. Cells with a Robertson translocation can even undergo mitosis, a process by which body cells are divided to form new cells.
The problem with the Robertson translocation usually occurs after the cells are divided for meiosis purposes, a critical step in sexual reproduction. The cells produced from meiosis have only half of the genetic material of the parent cell; In humans, these cells are formed into eggs and sperm. During meiosis, the Robertson translocation could lead to an uneven distribution of genetic material.
Perhaps the best example of an illustration of how Robertsonian translocation can cause problems during meiosis is seen in Down syndrome, the disease that occurs when an individual has three copies of chromosome 21. Down syndrome may be causedY have learned that it is possible to copy to go two copying to get into effect to get to get into convenient copying. Chromosome 21, while the other eggs did not receive any copies. Normally each egg would receive one copy of chromosome 21. After fertilization with normal sperm, the resulting embryo could have a fused chromosome from the mother and one normal chromosome from the father, resulting in three effective copy of the chromosome 21.