dosage compensation

(noun)

a genetic regulatory mechanism that equalizes the phenotypic expression of characteristics determined by genes on the X chromosome so that they are equally expressed in males and females.

Related Terms

Examples of dosage compensation in the following topics:

  • X-Inactivation

    • The presence of extra X chromosomes in a cell is compensated for by X-inactivation in which all but one X chromosome are silenced.
    • By this process, a phenomenon called dosage compensation is achieved.
    • In all types, every X chromosome except one undergoes inactivation to compensate for the excess genetic dosage.

  • Alternatives to Dominance and Recessiveness

    • The complete dominance of a wild-type phenotype over all other mutants often occurs as an effect of "dosage" of a specific gene product, such that the wild-type allele supplies the correct amount of gene product whereas the mutant alleles cannot.
    • For the allelic series in rabbits, the wild-type allele may supply a given dosage of fur pigment, whereas the mutants supply a lesser dosage or none at all.

  • Concept of Osmolality and Milliequivalent

    • Professor Fink reviews the use of moles, millimoles & milliquivalents in expressing concentration and dosage.

  • Biotechnology in Medicine

    • More accurate methods of determining appropriate drug dosages.

  • Gene Duplications and Divergence

    • Aneuploidy often alters gene dosage in ways that are detrimental to the organism and therefore, will not likely spread through populations.

  • Limits on Animal Size and Shape

    • The same principles apply to endoskeletons, but they are more efficient because muscles are attached on the outside, making it easier to compensate for increased mass.

  • Dead Space: V/Q Mismatch

    • The lung has the capability to compensate for mismatches in ventilation and perfusion.

  • Nutrients from Other Sources

    • The minerals it obtains from prey compensate for those lacking in the boggy (low pH) soil of its native North Carolina coastal plains.

  • Neurodegenerative Disorders

    • This conversion increases the overall level of dopamine neurotransmission and can help compensate for the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra.

  • The Work of Breathing

    • They breathe at a very high lung volume to compensate for the lack of airway recruitment.