Question

Write short notes on any two of the following: (i) Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency (ii) Interspecific Competition with example (iii) Human Genome Project

Hint:

ADA deficiency = immune disorder; Interspecific competition = struggle between species; HGP = sequencing human genome.

Answer 1

(i) Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) Deficiency: \[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{ADA deficiency is a rare genetic disorder that causes severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).} \\ \bullet & \text{It is caused by the mutation in the gene encoding the enzyme adenosine deaminase, which is essential for purine metabolism.} \\ \bullet & \text{Lack of ADA leads to accumulation of toxic metabolites, resulting in the destruction of lymphocytes (T-cells, B-cells), leading to a weak immune system.} \\ \bullet & \text{Patients become highly susceptible to infections.} \\ \bullet & \text{Treatment: Enzyme replacement therapy, bone marrow transplantation, and gene therapy.} \\ \end{array}\] (ii) Interspecific Competition (with example): \[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Interspecific competition occurs when individuals of different species compete for the same limited resources such as food, water, or space.} \\ \bullet & \text{It is a \((-,-)\) interaction where both species are negatively affected.} \\ \bullet & \text{Example: Flamingos and fishes competing for zooplankton in lakes. Both species have reduced access to food.} \\ \bullet & \text{Another Example: Paramecium aurelia and Paramecium caudatum grown together compete for food; one species outcompetes the other (Gause's competitive exclusion principle).} \\ \end{array}\] (iii) Human Genome Project (HGP): \[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Launched in 1990 and completed in 2003, HGP was an international research program aimed at mapping and sequencing the entire human genome.} \\ \bullet & \text{Objectives: Identify all genes in human DNA, determine base pair sequences, and store the data for further biological studies.} \\ \bullet & \text{Outcomes: About 20,000–25,000 human genes were identified. The project provided insights into genetic diseases, molecular medicine, and evolutionary biology.} \\ \bullet & \text{Applications: Development of new drugs, better diagnosis of genetic disorders, and personalized medicine.} \\ \end{array}\]