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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

ALS2 Gene

The official name of ALS2 gene is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2 (juvenile)..The ALS2 gene provides instructions for making a protein called alsin. Alsin is produced in a wide range of tissues, with highest amounts in the brain. It is particularly abundant in motor neurons, the specialized nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control the movement of muscles.

Alsin's function in cells is unclear. It may play a role in regulating cell membrane organization and the movement of molecules inside cells. Research findings also suggest that alsin may play a role in the development of axons and dendrites, which are specialized outgrowths from nerve cells that are essential for the transmission of nerve impulses.


Location:
ALS2 gene is present in human chromosome 2 and ts coded from region 202,273,521 to 202,353,982 with 34 exons, the cytogenetic location 2q33.2

Disease
Mutation in the ALS2 Gene causes Amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis(ALS),infantile-onset ascending hereditary spastic paralysis ,juvenile primary lateral sclerosis.In all three disease mutations delete a single DNA building block (nucleotide), which alters the instructions for producing alsin. As a result, alsin is unstable and decays rapidly.

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