PKU

The full name of the genetic disorder PKU is Phenylketonuria. This genetic disorder is recieved by autosomal recessive inheritance and can be on both genes because both males and females can be carriers. This means that since both males and females can be carriers that for someone to have PKU both of their genes have to have the genetic disorder. What PKU does is that it prevents enough of the enzyme Phenylalanine Hydroxylase from forming. This causes excess Phenylalanine levels to increase because Phenylalanine Hydroxylase is the enzyme that changes Phenylalanine into Tyrosine. This is bad because excess Phenylalanine is toxic to the central nervous system, which mess everything up. Some symptons of PKU are drops in IQ, learning disabilities, behavior problems like hyperactivity and irritably. Also neurological problems like tremors, eczema and other skin disorders, and personality disorders like schizophrenia, panic attacks and agoraphobia. Their is only one method of treatment for PKU at the moment and that is going on a diet, to keep the Phenylalanine levels low, which includes the elimination of all protein rich foods because all protein contains Phenylanine. This means that the diet eliminates foods like meat, fish, poultry, milk, eggs, cheese, ice cream, legumes, and nuts and the people on the diet also use a synthetic formula as a nutritional substitude for the eliminated foods. However if treatment is not started shortly after the baby is born (like a couple weeks or days) then the baby has a higher risk of developing one of the symptons mention above. There is also a drug Kuvan but it does not cure the genetic disorder it jsut helps to keep the Phenylalanine levels lower. According to recent studies about 1 in 50 people are carriers of PKU but only 1 of 10,000 to 25,000 babies born in the U.S. have PKU. This means that at least in the U.S. PKU is a rare genetic disorder since only 1 in 10,000 to 25,000 babies are born with it.

The picture shown on the left is showing the chance that two parents who are carriers of PKU of having a child that has PKU (1 in 4 chance), is a carrier of PKU (1 in 2 chance), or does not have anything to do with PKU (1 in 4 chance).

This picture on the left here is showing the elemental break down of the amino acid Phenylalanine and the substance Tyrosine and it is also showing that when Phenylalanine Hydroxylase is removed, as indicated by the red X, that Phenylalanine is not changed into Tyrosine, which means that there is a slow but steady increase in Phenylanine levels.

This image on the left here is showing the form and look of the eznyme Phenylalanine Hydroxylase, which as shown here has 4 different subunits in it. This is shown in the picture by the different colors of the gooey looking material.

media: [] []

sources: [] [] []

picture citation:

[] [] []

CV-5F-UHP: Definitely alot of info and it helped me understand it. CV-5F-TREB: There's a good amount of info, but you should organize it so it would be easier to find things. CV-5F-LAC Good amount of info,but it was somewhat confusing so i think it should be a little more organized CV-5F-RCW: Your information is good but the way it is presented is very boring and makes me think of reading a textbook. Bullets and bigger fonts would have really helped you out. CV-5F-JAC: All in all, the information was good but it was very boring to read. Try using more color and different fonts next time.