intro

Writing Assignment 2 Initial Draft

ELN is a gene that is responsible for assigning guidelines for cells to create tropoelastin. Tropoelastin is a building block protein that interlocks to each other to form a mature protein. This mature protein is called elastin, elastin is responsible for the elastic fibers that gives body tissues and organs such as skin and blood vessels elasticity and support.

Elastin consist of two main structures hydrophobic segments and a rich a-helical segment consisting of alanine and lysine. The hydrophobic segments are what cause elastin to be so elastic. The alanine and lysine segments are the interlocking portions of elastin that keep molecules together (Alberts, 1970). Elastin imbeds in between the spaces of the cells, this is what structures all organs. This structure allows the tissues of the organs to resume the same structure even when put under stress.

Cutis laxa is a mutation in the elastin gene that causes the skin to become lax or loose.

Cutis laxa is autosomal dominant, which is caused from an elongation of the tropelastin protein. This abnormally long tropelastin causes this mutation when it reaches a mature state. The hypothesis is to test situations to see what causes this elongation, from there we can figure out what causes Cutis laxa.

Alberts, B. (1970, January 01). The Extracellular Matrix of Animals. Retrieved June 14, 2020,

from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26810/