Effects of Kartagener Syndrome An abnormal form of the motor protein dynein causes Kartagener .syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by chronic sinus and lung infections. Biofilms form in the thick mucus that collects in the airways, and the resulting bacterial activities and inflammation damage tissues. Men affected by Kartagener syndrome can produce sperm (FIGURE 4.20) but are typically infertile; some of them have become fathers after their sperm cells were injected directly into eggs. Review Figure 4.19, then explain these observations.
FIGURE 4.20 An effect of Kartagener syndrome. Cross-section of a sperm flagellum an affected man (left) and an unaffected man (right).
To explain: The observations regarding the effect of the Kartagener syndrome causing male infertility.
Introduction: Kartagener syndrome is an autosomal recessive genetic condition characterized by the ciliary motility disorder. Cilia are hair-like structures lining the mucus membranes of the nose, lungs, and sinuses. In Kartagener syndrome, the cilia do not move properly and defects are found in the dynein (component of cilia) arms. This results in the abnormal morphology of the sperm tails and bronchial cilia.
Explanation of Solution
Refer to Fig. 4.19, “How eukaryotic flagella and cilia move” in the textbook. Flagella and ciliary movements are provided by the motor protein dynein attached to the nine microtubules arranged in a circle. Abnormality in the dynein arms causes Kartagener syndrome. Refer to Fig. 4.20, “An effect of the Kartagener syndrome” in the textbook. The lack of the dynein arms result in the abnormal morphology of the sperm tails and bronchial cilia causing lung infections, chronic sinus, and infertility. Men with Kartagener syndrome are infertile but they produce sperms. They are infertile because the defected dynein would affect the movement of the flagella and cilia. As a result, there would be abnormal sperm motility and it would not be able to swim normally for fertilization.
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