what vital function is control by autosomes
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An autosome is a chromosome in a eukaryotic cell that is not a sex chromosome.
Unlike prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells have many chromosomes in which they package their DNA. This allows eukaryotes to store much more genetic information.
Most eukaryotic organisms reproduce through sexual reproduction – meaning that each individual has two copies of each chromosome. One copy is inherited from one parent, while the other is inherited from the other parent.
This system enhances genetic diversity and protects against some diseases, since it enables individuals to inherit immune system genes from two different parents, and having two copies of a gene often enables a healthy copy inherited from one parent to “cover for” a copy of a gene that has been corrupted through harmful mutation.
It’s normal for diploid eukaryotic organisms (those which have a full set of chromosomes inherited through sexual reproduction) to have two copies of each autosome.
Sex chromosomes are considered separately from autosomes, since their inheritance pattern works differently. In humans, the sex chromosomes are referred to as the X chromosome and the Y chromosome. Other animals, like birds, use a different system of sex chromosomes.
During the process of meiosis which creates eukaryotic sex cells, the sex cells “remix” DNA between their two copies of each autosome in the process of crossing over. The result is a unique set of chromosomes which has a mix of material from both of the individual’s parents. This process is illustrated below.
Morgan crossover
The sex cell then discards one of each of the resulting remixed autosomes, resulting in a gamete cell that has only one copy of each autosome.
When two gametes combine, they produce a cell which will grow into a new individual which will possess a copy of each chromosome from each parent. The individual’s unique genetic profile will include DNA from each of its four grandparents.
During the growth of a multicellular organism, it’s normal for a cell to make a full copy of each of its chromosomes, and give one copy to each daughter cell.
When errors are made in distributing chromosomes during meiosis or early in embryonic development, serious diseases can result due to many cells in an individual’s body having the wrong number of chromosomes.
Because each chromosome contains thousands of genes, having too many or too few chromosomes can result in serious imbalances in gene expression. In humans, many pregnancies that do not survive the first trimester are cases where the embryo inherited the wrong number of chromosomes and was not able to survive.
Other errors in chromosome replication can cause more mild syndromes such as Down syndrome, which is caused by inheriting an extra copy of chromosome 21 from one parent.
Function of Autosomes
Each autosome stores many thousands genes, each of which performs a unique function in the organism’s cells.
Under normal circumstances, each chromosome follows a “map” that is shared across individuals in the species. This allows cells to “know” where to start gene expression when they want to express a certain gene. It is thought that factors which effect gene expression use this “map” to accurately respond to a cell’s needs.
When autosomes are healthy, this enables cells to perform an awesome array of functions. Each of hundreds of subtly differing cell types in a eukaryotic organism express a different combination of genes in the right place at the right time, enabling the huge array of cellular functions we see in eukaryotic organisms like ourselves.
Each of our cells contain the necessary compliment of genes to reproduce our whole bodies. Differences between brain cells, skin cells, and muscle cells are made by cells transcribing the right genes in the right places at the right times.
Our bodies get it right almost all the time! But biologists often learn how something works by watching cases where it breaks, and seeing what happens when the mechanism is not working properly.
In the case of autosomes and their carefully arranged “map” that allows for the complexity of our bodies, problems can arise when chromosomes break and their pieces end up in the wrong place.
This event, called “translocation,” can cause genes to the expression of the wrong genes at the wrong times. Some types of cancer may be caused by translocations leading to errors in cell development and reproduction.
Unlike prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells have many chromosomes in which they package their DNA. This allows eukaryotes to store much more genetic information.
Most eukaryotic organisms reproduce through sexual reproduction – meaning that each individual has two copies of each chromosome. One copy is inherited from one parent, while the other is inherited from the other parent.
This system enhances genetic diversity and protects against some diseases, since it enables individuals to inherit immune system genes from two different parents, and having two copies of a gene often enables a healthy copy inherited from one parent to “cover for” a copy of a gene that has been corrupted through harmful mutation.
It’s normal for diploid eukaryotic organisms (those which have a full set of chromosomes inherited through sexual reproduction) to have two copies of each autosome.
Sex chromosomes are considered separately from autosomes, since their inheritance pattern works differently. In humans, the sex chromosomes are referred to as the X chromosome and the Y chromosome. Other animals, like birds, use a different system of sex chromosomes.
During the process of meiosis which creates eukaryotic sex cells, the sex cells “remix” DNA between their two copies of each autosome in the process of crossing over. The result is a unique set of chromosomes which has a mix of material from both of the individual’s parents. This process is illustrated below.
Morgan crossover
The sex cell then discards one of each of the resulting remixed autosomes, resulting in a gamete cell that has only one copy of each autosome.
When two gametes combine, they produce a cell which will grow into a new individual which will possess a copy of each chromosome from each parent. The individual’s unique genetic profile will include DNA from each of its four grandparents.
During the growth of a multicellular organism, it’s normal for a cell to make a full copy of each of its chromosomes, and give one copy to each daughter cell.
When errors are made in distributing chromosomes during meiosis or early in embryonic development, serious diseases can result due to many cells in an individual’s body having the wrong number of chromosomes.
Because each chromosome contains thousands of genes, having too many or too few chromosomes can result in serious imbalances in gene expression. In humans, many pregnancies that do not survive the first trimester are cases where the embryo inherited the wrong number of chromosomes and was not able to survive.
Other errors in chromosome replication can cause more mild syndromes such as Down syndrome, which is caused by inheriting an extra copy of chromosome 21 from one parent.
Function of Autosomes
Each autosome stores many thousands genes, each of which performs a unique function in the organism’s cells.
Under normal circumstances, each chromosome follows a “map” that is shared across individuals in the species. This allows cells to “know” where to start gene expression when they want to express a certain gene. It is thought that factors which effect gene expression use this “map” to accurately respond to a cell’s needs.
When autosomes are healthy, this enables cells to perform an awesome array of functions. Each of hundreds of subtly differing cell types in a eukaryotic organism express a different combination of genes in the right place at the right time, enabling the huge array of cellular functions we see in eukaryotic organisms like ourselves.
Each of our cells contain the necessary compliment of genes to reproduce our whole bodies. Differences between brain cells, skin cells, and muscle cells are made by cells transcribing the right genes in the right places at the right times.
Our bodies get it right almost all the time! But biologists often learn how something works by watching cases where it breaks, and seeing what happens when the mechanism is not working properly.
In the case of autosomes and their carefully arranged “map” that allows for the complexity of our bodies, problems can arise when chromosomes break and their pieces end up in the wrong place.
This event, called “translocation,” can cause genes to the expression of the wrong genes at the wrong times. Some types of cancer may be caused by translocations leading to errors in cell development and reproduction.
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