Xist (Gene)

Chromosome disorders are diseases which occur to people due to an abnormality within the individuals chromosomes. One example of an chromosome disorder would be down syndrome, this chromosome disorder is caused when a person is born with an extra copy of the chromosome 21. Similarly to this there is a gene known as the Xist which is likely to effect a persons X chromosome changing the developmental process within females. There are teams around the world that are researching into the Xist gene seeing if they could use it in order to treat, or cure chromosome disorders such as down syndrome. The Xist gene is an RNA gene that acts in the early process of mammalian females/placental mammals development and causes a major effect on the X inactivation process.  During the development of the being the Xist gene transcriptionally silences one of the two pairs of X chromosomes, thus providing and equivalence between that particular female and other males, due to the shortage of an X chromosome. It's full name is X-inactive specific transcription. When a person has a disease such as down syndrome it means that they have copy of already existing chromosome so in order to treat it or "cure it" scientist are using the Xist gene to get ride/silence one of the two existing pairs of 21 chromosomes. Using genome editing with zinc finger nucleus's, scientist insert a large portion of the Xist gene into the locus of the chromosome 21, in down's syndrome stem cells. The Xist coats chromosomes 21 and triggers stable 'hetero-chromatin modification, supposedly silencing DNA to form a chromosome 21 barr body.' Treating the down syndrome patient.