Lecture, chapter 11 - From proteins to phenotypes

Today we finished the chapter in which we explained at a basic level how proteins, direct products of genes, do reflect in an individual's phenotype.

We talked about how transport proteins can be altered by mutations and have an impact, from mild to lethal, in the individual's phenotype. Our example was hemoglobin. A number of mutations can alter the genes that encode the globins (subunits of hemoglobin), producing a disease categorized as a hemoglobin variant, or could alter the genes that encode proteins that control the transcription of globin genes, producing a disease categorized as a thalassemia.

In either case the consequence of the mutation, if it is noticeable, will be anemia.

We also introduced the basic idea of the field of biochemical genetics, more specifically in the subfields of pharmacogenetics and ecogenetics. Such subfields study our phenotypes in terms of how we react to chemicals: Within our bodies (pharmacogenetics), and in the environment (ecogenetics). Active research is being conducted in such areas.

An important aspect is how the way we taste food can have an impact in health problems such as obesity (pharmacogenetics). Another important topic is how we react to chemicals used in agriculture, such as pesticides, or used in manufacturing (an example would be the effects of led used in baby toys manufactured in China)

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