Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor
Daniel Moore, PhD
Keywords
monozygotic twins, twins, inherited diseases, inherited disorders, schizophrenia, genetics, genetics research
Abstract
Identical twins or, monozygotic twins, occur when the egg in a mother is fertilized, but one zygote divides into two separate embryos. Monozygotic twins are considered to be genetically identical, but most twins often display discordances, some involving diseases or disorders. Some of these differences are due to environmental factors. For example, one twin may have diabetes due to diet. Recent literature has shown that some differences in monozygotic twins may be due to changes in gene sequence, as opposed to random, environmental or epigenetic factors. Identical twins from pedigrees with familial disease often show discordances. When looking at schizophrenia specifically, the discordance rate is about 50%. This poster will review literature about specific de novo variants, duplication, overlaps, and even a rare deletion in an affected twin, which provides evidence a specific mutation contributes to a particular disorder. These findings in monozygotic twins will further research that provides information on how to treat or prevent disorders that are caused by genetic changes.
Open Access?
1
Changes in Gene Sequence that Cause Discordances Involving Disease in Monozygotic Twins
Identical twins or, monozygotic twins, occur when the egg in a mother is fertilized, but one zygote divides into two separate embryos. Monozygotic twins are considered to be genetically identical, but most twins often display discordances, some involving diseases or disorders. Some of these differences are due to environmental factors. For example, one twin may have diabetes due to diet. Recent literature has shown that some differences in monozygotic twins may be due to changes in gene sequence, as opposed to random, environmental or epigenetic factors. Identical twins from pedigrees with familial disease often show discordances. When looking at schizophrenia specifically, the discordance rate is about 50%. This poster will review literature about specific de novo variants, duplication, overlaps, and even a rare deletion in an affected twin, which provides evidence a specific mutation contributes to a particular disorder. These findings in monozygotic twins will further research that provides information on how to treat or prevent disorders that are caused by genetic changes.
