Sex linked diseases and lyonization in females

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In summary, X-linked dominant diseases, such as "D", can be inherited by females who possess the allele on one of their two X chromosomes. However, due to X-inactivation, it is not certain that the individual will suffer from the disease as the inactivated X chromosome may contain the dominant allele. This process is random and there is a likelihood that a population of cells will express the dominant allele and cause the disorder.
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Prashasti
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Suppose, there's a disease "D", which is an X-linked, dominant disease.
Now, there's a female who possesses the allele for this disease in one of her two X chromosomes. (XDX)

It's easy to say that since the allele for the disease is dominant, she'll suffer from it.

Now, it's a well known fact that in females, one of the X chromosomes gets inactivated ( Barr Body formation or lyonization).

My question is, how can we be sure that she will suffer from the disease? We can never be 100% sure!

What if the X chromosome, which has the allele for the disease, is the one that gets inactivated ? That allele will never be expressed and she'll never suffer from the disease.
 
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X-inactivation is a random process, so approximately 50% of the cells in a woman's body will have the paternal X inactivated and 50% will have the maternal X inactivated. Unless the number of cells causing the dominant phenotype is very small, there will likely be some population of cells expressing the dominant allele to cause the disorder. Wikipedia lists a few examples of dominant X-linked disorders (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-linked_dominant_inheritance).
 
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1. What are sex linked diseases?

Sex linked diseases are genetic disorders caused by mutations in genes located on the sex chromosomes (X or Y). These disorders are typically inherited in a recessive pattern, meaning that a person must inherit two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to develop the disease.

2. What is lyonization in females?

Lyonization, also known as X-chromosome inactivation, is the process by which one of the two X chromosomes in females is randomly inactivated in each cell. This ensures that females do not have twice as many X-linked genes active as males do. Lyonization occurs early in embryonic development and is maintained throughout a woman's life.

3. Can females be carriers for sex linked diseases?

Yes, females can be carriers for sex linked diseases. Since females have two X chromosomes, they can carry a mutated gene on one X chromosome and a normal gene on the other. In this case, the female will not show symptoms of the disease, but can pass on the mutated gene to her children.

4. Are sex linked diseases more common in males or females?

Sex linked diseases are more common in males. This is because males only have one X chromosome, so if they inherit a mutated gene on their X chromosome, they do not have a second X chromosome with a normal gene to offset the mutation. Females, on the other hand, have two X chromosomes and are less likely to develop the disease if they inherit a mutated gene on one X chromosome.

5. What are some examples of sex linked diseases?

Some examples of sex linked diseases include hemophilia, color blindness, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. These diseases are caused by mutations in genes located on the X chromosome. Other examples include Fragile X syndrome and X-linked hypophosphatemia.

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