How do mutations in methyl-CpG-binding proteins lead to Rett syndrome, a neurodegenerative disorder?

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: The methyl-CpG-binding protein is involved in transcriptional regulation of genes important in postnatal neuronal development. The protein binds to CpG islands near promoters of genes involved in neuron growth and development, methylating the cytosine residues in the CpG islands. The increased methylation recruits other proteins that silence the genes associated with the promoters (or repress transcription) through chromatin condensation. The symptoms associated with Rett syndrome appear to be caused by the expression of genes that would normally be silenced during neuron development.

Biology & Microbiology

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How many experiments have been conducted worldwide to test Darwin's initial hypothesis regarding natural selection?

A. one B. 50 C. 100 D. 500 E. thousands

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While digging in your vegetable garden, you accidentally slice a thick root in half with your trowel, and find yourself looking at a bold X shape in the middle of the root. What can you say about the plant this root belonged to?

a. It was probably a monocot. b. It was probably an epiphyte. c. It was probably a dicot. d. It was probably a weed.

Biology & Microbiology

White blood cells are produced

A. by mitotic division of other white blood cells. B. from platelets. C. from chondrocytes. D. from bone marrow stem cells. E. from plasma proteins.

Biology & Microbiology

The amount of energy required by your body to simply exist is called the ________

Fill in the blank(s) with correct word

Biology & Microbiology