Question - Explain in words the molecular defect that produces phenylketonuria. Then describe the change in metabolism (in amino acid degradation) that occurs as a result and where the toxic effect of this altered metabolism arises. Your book has information on this -- you may also want to google/wiki the subject.
Questions: Does a woman who is a "carrier" for PKU need to take care during pregnancy to not consume Phe or to consume only a limited amount -- for the purpose of protecting her baby?
Does a woman who is PKU (who is homozygous for the genetic defect in PKU) need to take care to not consume excess Phe in her diet (in other words, to consume very little Phe) to protect her baby?
If the frequency of a carrier (heterozygote for PKU_) in the general population is 1/100 among both males and females, what would be the frequency at which two carriers would (unknowlingly) meet and produce a baby (which would then have a chance of 1/4 of being PKU)?
PKU babies must be identified very soon after birth. How is this done?