Reference no: EM133937315

Assignment:

Genetic ethics help

The case In December 2008, Atlas Sports Genetics began selling a genetic test for ACTN3, the a-actinin-3 gene. One of the variants in this gene is a nonsense mutation (R577X) that prevents production of the protein. It has been found that individuals with reduced amounts of a-actinin-3 tend to have a higher proportion of slow twitch muscle fibers than fast twitch muscle fibers. Conversely, because a-actinin-3 is expressed only in fast twitch muscle fibers, the presence of 1 or 2 copies of the wild type allele of the gene can tilt the physiological balance in favor of fast twitch fibers. This physiological association has been extended to elite athletes to show a modest enrichment of XX genotypes among endurance athletes and RR genotypes among sprint and power athletes. The company advocated testing children, even before their first birthday, as a performance indicator for their future athletic ability. Moreover, they contended that this genetic test is a more accurate prognostic indicator than physical tests before age 9 because these young children have not developed mature motor skills yet. The test results were reported to the families as the client's "genetic advantage."

1. Are parents acting in the best interest of their child when performing non-essential genetic tests on them at these young ages?

2. Is it appropriate to base lifestyle decisions about childhood enrichment activities on genetics alone?

3. To what extent can a single gene influence athletic ability?