Question

Genetic variations (all SNPs) in any one of 18 genes can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The best technology to test for all known causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is:

a) PCR
b) Single Gene DNA Sequencing
c) Gel Electrophoresis
d) SNP Chip

Answer 1

The SNP Chip is the optimal technology for testing all known causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to its ability to analyze thousands of SNPs effectively and its use in GWAS.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best technology to test for all known causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which can be caused by genetic variations, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), in any one of 18 genes, is the SNP Chip.

This technology is tailored for large-scale SNP analysis and can simultaneously test for thousands of SNPs across the genome. It's instrumental in Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS), which can spot differences in SNPs that may be connected to diseases like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The SNP Chip makes it possible to identify many genetic changes potentially linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy more efficiently compared to PCR, Single Gene DNA Sequencing, or Gel Electrophoresis, which are either too specific or not as scalable for this purpose.

Answer 2

The SNP Chip is the best technology for detecting all known genetic causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy because it can analyze multiple SNPs across the genome, aligning with the approaches of genome-wide association studies. Therefore, the correct option is d) SNP Chip.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best technology to test for all known causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which are genetic variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), is an SNP Chip. This tool is specially designed to detect SNPs and can analyze multiple genetic variations across the genome simultaneously. Unlike other methods such as PCR, single gene DNA sequencing, and gel electrophoresis, which are limited in their ability to simultaneously screen numerous genes, an SNP Chip can provide a more comprehensive analysis. The power of SNP Chips comes from their ability to efficiently identify genetic differences that might be associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by analyzing the SNPs across all 18 genes of interest in a single assay.

Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) and advancements following the Human Genome Project have illuminated the importance of SNPs in individual health and drug response. The SNP Chip aligns with these findings as it is capable of scrutinizing millions of SNPs, making it an ideal tool for studying diseases like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where multiple genes may be involved. Therefore, the correct option for testing all known causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is d) SNP Chip.