16 University Daily Kansan Nation/World Friday, Aug. 30, 1985 MD gene now close to capture The Associated Press NEW YORK - Researchers reported yesterday that they have taken a major stride toward identifying the genetic defect that causes the most common form of muscular dystrophy, a deadly disease with no known cure. The work by a team at Children's Hospital in Boston may help lead to development of a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, other experts said. It will also provide a better test for finding carriers of the defect that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy and for performing prenatal diagnosis, the experts said. Some 50,000 to 100,000 boys and young men in the United States are afflicted with the disease, which causes progressive destruction of the skeletal muscles. It usually kills by the victim it reaches his late 20s. "That was a quantum leap to getting to the gene itself," said P. Michael Connally, professor of medical genetics and neurology at Indiana University Medical Center. The gene may be found within a year, he said yesterday. gene by narrowing the area on the X chromosome to look for it. The disease is caused by a defect on the X chromosome, which carries genes, the basic units of heredity that give bodily cells their marching orders. The disease can arise if a key gene is defective or missing. The new research, reported in the British journal Nature, greatly advances the search for the defective Once it is found, researchers can find what abnormal instruction it is issuing, in the form of a protein, that leads to the disease, he said. That knowledge will give leads on treatment, said Connely, who wrote a commentary in Nature on the research. More immediately, the work has produced a genetic probe that can be used to screen other people in a victim's family to reveal the defect with a high degree of accuracy, he said. That's important because the Duchenne defect is carried by women who show no symptoms but who can pass the defect to their sons. Women are generally not affected because they have two X chromosomes, and a normal X chromosome can make up for the defect in the other. Men have only one X chromosome. Women "really want to know whether they're carriers or not," Conneally said. In addition, the probe can be used for prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne, he said. The test should provide more accuracy than a version reported earlier this year, being "essentially foolproof," he said. But he said a test for carriers can prevent only about 70 of the Hepatitis C cases, because the other 30 percent arise from spontaneous mutations that are not inherited. Symptoms of the disease usually appear at age 2 or 3, when muscles in the neck and legs begin to weaken. Most victims cannot walk by age 8 or 9. They usually die by their late 20s because the disease has weakened the muscles used in breathing. SMART TIME JOBS Bonus Programs: $2.00 Cash Bonds $10.00 Tumor Awareness $10.00 Tumor Treatment Plan Repayment Plan Extra Income: Over $5.00 per hourly wage. Part Time: Two days a month and two weeks annual training after initial training. New Skills: Be trained in a career that can be used in your civilian life. Serving Close to Homes There is a Kansas Army Guard Unit close to your home or campus. Helping Your Country, State and Neighbors: You'll be collecting America in forest of National Defense city and state in times of natural disasters. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE KANSAS ARMY GUARD CALL 842-9283 OR TOLL-FREE 1-800-3242-4247 --- HP 41CV AND HP 41CX NOW ON SALE! HP 41CV—$176.95 HP 41CX—$259.00 REG.$225.00 REG.$325.00 Delta Gamma Thanks... KKΓ KAO AФ AГΔ ΦΔО ACAC Cogburns KLZR Lawrence Municipa Pool Triangle For Their Support in Anchor Bash and Anchor Splash Special Congratulations To Anchor Splash Winners KKΓ and ΦKΘ and to Mr. "Anchorman" Mike Sherby ΦKΘ RECORDS — TAPES — COMPACT DISCS $5.99 $5.99 $5.99 $8.99 dbl. Your choice LP or Cassette $5.99 $5.99 $5.99 $5.99 Welcome Back Students! Stop by and check out these hot new CBS releases on sale now at Pennylane!! We're your best choice for Records, Tapes, Compact Discs and lots of accessories. Pennylane is Lawrence's friendly Downtown music store! 844 Massachusetts 749-4211 Open Daily: 10-6 Thurs. 10-8 Sunday 12-6