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B12 METABOLISM IN HUMANS By NICOLE AURORA LEAL A ...

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libraries may be particularly useful for isolating mammalian cDNAs involved in<br />

cobalamin metabolism.<br />

55<br />

Importantly, the identification of human genes involved in methylmalonic aciduria<br />

should help with the development of improved methods for diagnosis and treatment of<br />

this rare but devastating disease. Knowledge of the relevant genes will allow DNA-based<br />

methods of diagnosis following amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling. Such<br />

techniques will allow the identification of the specific genetic lesions involved, and this<br />

may help guide treatment. Some cases of methylmalonic aciduria respond to high-dose<br />

<strong>B12</strong> therapy and it seems likely that such cases will be associated with specific mutations<br />

(Ampola et al. 1975, Matsui et al. 1983, Zass et al. 1995). Moreover, as the needed<br />

methodologies become available, knowledge of the genes involved in cobalamin<br />

metabolism may also help with the development of gene or enzyme therapies as<br />

treatments for methylmalonic aciduria.

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