Explanation: In individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), there is a mutation in the gene that codes for the protein dystrophin. Dystrophin is an essential protein involved in maintaining the structural integrity of muscle fibers. The mutation in the DMD gene results in the absence or severely reduced production of functional dystrophin protein.
As a result, without the production of dystrophin, the muscles in individuals with DMD gradually weaken and degenerate over time. This leads to progressive muscle weakness, difficulty in movement, and other associated symptoms of the disorder.