The Changing Y Chromosome

The Y chromosome is changing and some researchers think that means it may become obsolete someday. In a recent ABC News.com article, Will Chromosome Y Go Bye-bye?, it reports that the Y chromosome is degenerating which could mean it may disappear someday. While this may sound like there will be an extinction to the male species and to humans as a whole because of it, it’s not what scientists are expecting.

The deletion of genes on the chromosome doesn’t mean that men will no longer be around. It just means that the Y chromosome will be different. The Y chromosome only has 80 functional genes which is quite low compared to the X chromosome which has 1000 genes. The functional genes on the chromosome will produce other functional ones over time to keep the chromosome alive. These genes will be different, which means men will be different. How different? That all depends on the individual. This is all simply the process of evolution.

Life is ever changing and it makes sense that so do humans. As the Y chromosome changes, so will men and women. It’s the natural part of evolution. We are different from our ancestors and from future generations.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilspicys/2349773358/)

July 20th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Society | (0)