Question

Blood stained clothing of Abraham Lincoln has been analysed for evidence of which genetic disorder?
A. Marfan’s syndrome
B. Diabetes
C. Alzheimer’s disease
D. Cardiovascular disease

Answer 1

Hint: It is possible to diagnose inherited disorders in an individual through various molecular biological methods. DNA fingerprinting is a laboratory technique used to identify individuals using body samples such as blood, saliva and hair. Only genetic disorders can be identified through DNA fingerprinting. This method is not similar to other common blood tests.

Complete answer:
Option A Marfan’s syndrome: Marfan’s syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissues. The connective tissues support and anchor the organs and other structures in the body. Marfan’s syndrome affects the heart, eyes, blood vessels and skeleton. Marfan’s syndrome was detected in the bloody clothes of Abraham Lincoln using a DNA fingerprinting method.
Option A is correct.
Option B Diabetes: Diabetes is a disease that is characterized by no insulin production or less insulin production by the pancreas in the body. Due to less insulin in the body, glucose from the food remains undigested and floats in the blood. Diabetes was not detected in the blood-stained clothes.
Option B is incorrect.
Option C Alzheimer’s disease: It is a brain disorder that causes memory loss and problems thinking and behaviour. It occurs when excessive amounts of amyloid beta and tau proteins accumulate in the brain causing neurofibrillary tangles which affects the normal neuronal functioning of the brain. Alzheimer’s is not a genetic disorder.
Option C is incorrect.
Option D Cardiovascular disease: cardiovascular diseases describe a range of conditions that affect the heart. It includes coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, congenital heart defects, heart valve disease, heart muscle disease and heart infection. Cardiovascular diseases are not inherited genetically.
Option D is incorrect.

Therefore, option A. Marfan’s syndrome is the correct answer.

Note:
In DNA fingerprinting, the DNA is isolated from the sample, digested using restriction digestion or amplified using PCR. With the help of agarose gel electrophoresis, the amplified DNA fragments are separated, hybridised and then identified. DNA analysis is very useful in forensic tests and paternity tests. It is greatly used in the study of evolution to determine the frequency of a particular gene in a population which gives rise to diversity.