Chapter 1, Problem 17P

Different mutations in the WDR62 gene that inactivate gene function were found in the genomes of many different people with microcephaly. This information provided strong support for the idea that the WDR62 gene mutation causes microcephaly.

a.	The human genome sequence identified WDR62 as one of the approximately 27, 000 genes in the human genome. What information about the function of WDR62 do you think was learned originally from the DNA sequence of the normal human genome?
b.	What additional information was provided by identification of WDR62 as the microcephaly disease gene?
c.	The mouse genome contains a gene similar to human WDR62. Experiments in mice have shown that the mouse WDR62 gene is expressed in the brain. Technology is now available that allows scientists to generate mice in which the two normal copies of the WDR62 gene are replaced with mutant copies of the gene that are nonfunctional. Why would a scientist want to generate such WDR62 mutant mice?