Genetic Heredity Genes example essay topic

The level at which world class athletes are performing today has greatly increased and the competition to become number one has never been so tough. But, in order to become a successful athlete, one must train, have talent, and have a physique that corresponds to their particular sport. While some people may possess these traits, most do not. For those who do not the possibilities of becoming a top athlete are significantly increasing because of scientific breakthroughs found in the field of gene-therapy. The purpose of this paper is to explain the evolving growth and the use of genetics in sports.

It will examine the importance and process of genetic heredity, the process of genetic engineering, the genes which are involved in the enhancement of athletic performance, as well as the effect of genetics in the future of sports. Genetic Heredity Genes can determine hair and eye color, skin color, some aspects of human behavior, along with threats of possible diseases. Genes related to sport such as the amount of type I, IIa, IIb fibers present in the body, number of mitochondria, as well as height and weight are all contributing factors to attain success in sports. Athletes who are fortunate enough to simply inherit such genes from their parents credit the process of genetic heredity for some of their success. Every human contains a constant number of 46 chromosomes which are found in the nuclei of all cells and contain genes.

A human zygote receives 23 chromosomes from its mother and 23 chromosomes from its father. A homologous pair of chromosomes will be matched together based on similar genetic material. Sets of similar genes are called alleles and it is through these alleles that a zygote inherits genetic information. Each gamete has individual traits unlike the other which leads to a difference in genetic material. The dominant gene is superior to the recessive gene which therefore means any matched pair of chromosomes that differ in information will result in the dominant characteristic being expressed in the zygote. The zygote will ultimately inherit genes from both its mother and father and contain 46 chromosomes with dominant and recessive characteristics present.

It is this process that gives athletes their unique physical characteristics as well as internal attributes such as lactate threshold and the amount of muscle proteins. Genetic heredity can either give an athlete the traits needed to triumph over their sport or hinder an athlete's performance due to lack of the appropriate genes. The Process of Genetic Engineering Genetic engineering is the process of extracting genes and introducing new genes into an organism. The first step is to isolate the strand of DNA which carries the desired gene. Once all the DNA is extracted the single gene becomes cloned 1000 times and is separated from the other genes. The next step is to make the gene function once it is inside a different organism.

The gene is cut apart with enzymes and then replaces with a new promoter. The new gene undergoes transformation or gene insertion and is injected into the cells by various techniques. It can be inserted by means of a gene gun, agro bacterium, micro fibers, or by electroporation. Each of these methods allow the new gene to be transported into the nucleus of a cell where it will undergo DNA replication. Potential Performance Enhancers Discovered in the Genes The ever-growing field of genetic engineering has recently declared the discovery of 3 gene related performance enhancers.

A synthetic version of a gene called Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1) is a protein which makes muscles grow and also aids in the repairing of muscles if they " ve been damaged. The production of IGF-1 eventually diminished with age and the once young-looking muscles begin to sag and cannot repair as effectively as before. A mouse injected with IGF-1 has had a 60% increase in muscle mass and can now carry weight three times his own weight. Dr. H. Lee Sweeney from the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Physiology says, "We showed that with a onetime injection of this gene we can get bigger muscles in young animals and that, as they get older, the muscles never change", .

Another enhancer discovered by scientists at the Center for Cardiovascular Genetics in the UK is called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). A gene on chromosome no. 1 encodes this protein and it can have a significant impact on muscle and exercise efficiency. ACE triggers the release of nitric oxide which dilates arteries so that there is an increased blood flow which results in more oxygen being supplied to the working muscles. ACE genes allow greater endurance within athletes, improve oxygen utilization, and also increase the amount of blood in the muscles. Another substance known as growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) allows a person to put on 70 to 80 pounds of muscle.

GHRH triggers the pituitary gland and as a result growth hormones are released into the body and continues being released. Another gene scientists are experimenting with is called MCT 1 which aids in the transportation of lactate to the muscle cells and can therefore postpone lactate threshold. Due to today's technology many of the dilemmas that aspiring athletes face can be corrected by a simple injection. The future will only tell if the obstacles will be the science and technology involved in discovering these genes or the effect it will have in the world of sports. The Effects of Genetics in the Future of Sports The new recent discoveries in the field of gene therapy has not been welcomed into the sporting world with opened arms but instead been the topic of ethic and moral debate about the use of such genes in sports. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has expressed their concerns about the use of genetics in sports and believes that not only is genetic manipulation unsafe but should also be banned since it is a performance enhancer.

A spokesperson from WADA says, "Akin to doping in the present generation, genetic-transfer technology that is non-therapeutic and merely performance enhancing should be prohibited". There is also a growing fear that genetics will dominate over sports and eventually dominate over the human race. "This is an ethical question, not only for sport, but for the human race. You are tinkering with nature. How far are you going to go? Why shouldn't we create something genetically that is much smarter, stronger and better than a human?

You could eliminate the human race". says Olympic speed skater and doctor Johann Olav Koss. But many believe genetics will aid athletes rather than shame the meaning of sport. "We have to accept that some of these enhancements will be wonderful, especially for athletes who are injured" says Harri Syvasalmi, secretary general for WADA. Many eager athletes waiting to have the gene tested on them have already contacted Dr. H. Lee Sweeney, founder of the IGF-1 gene.

"They wanted to know what I thought it would do for them and what the safety issues were. Then the main question was how they could get it". Athletes are willing to try anything to improve their athletic performance despite the lack of safety known about human injections of performance enhancers. Such enhancers are still seeking FDA approval and if approved many feel that the world of sports will suffer and that there is no turning back if they are approved. Bengt Salt in a WADA member and head of the Copenhagen Muscle Research Institute says, "Gene manipulation is only the next step. I guess I'm na " ive but I hope that ethics will win out.

If I'm wrong, it's the end of sport as we know it. Sport will be a circus of unbelievable performances". After dealing with the issues of steroids and blood doping the world of sports will have to decide whether gene manipulation will be the solution to many athletes' problems or the reason for its downfall. There are many factors that contribute in achieving success in sports, one of them being genetics. Prior to the recent scientific developments if one did not have the proper genes to accelerate their professional athletic career, one did not succeed in sports.

But because of today's breakthroughs it is possible to make great athletes out of any person. The one thing that is holding genetics back is the moral and ethical issue surrounding gene-therapy. The new breakthroughs have made many athletes and aspiring athletes thrilled at the fact that they may also experience some of the fame and glory that has often been shown surrounding famous athletes. At the same time, many believe that by manipulating the genetic code of a person to make them smarter and stronger is slowly going to eliminate the human race.

To destroy what makes a person unique and special is to destroy what morals and ethics one has. People always strive to be better whether it is shown through behavior, academic standing or athletic ability. When discussing genetics it is important to discuss genetic heredity, the process of genetic engineering, the genes involved in performance enhancing as well as the future of genetics. Whether this newfound information will be expressed in the form of exceptional athletes in the future is for the FDA to decide. But it is the people's decision about whether they want to be apart of the new and improved version of a human and ultimately change the way people live and think or learn to accept what weaknesses they have and find their strengths.