Scientists have discovered that the Y chromosome uses a neat trick to repair its most crucial genes, a strategy that apparently helps keep it from rotting away over evolutionary time.
Instead of doubling up to protect its genetic cargo like other chromosomes, the lone Y safeguards its genes by having sex with itself, an international consortium has found. Proving perhaps that nature has a sense of humor, scientists have discovered that the Y chromosome - the one that makes a man a man - has a remarkable ability to make do-it-yourself repairs.
June 20, 2003 — The human male sex chromosome does have the ability to repair itself and may not be headed for extinction as had previously been thought, according to a surprising new study.
A 40-strong team of researchers led by David Page of the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, report their findings in this week's issue of the journal Nature.
As well as having a previously unknown and elaborate back-up system for self-repair, the Y chromosome also carries 78 genes.
"The Y chromosome is a hall of mirrors," said Page, whose team has for the first time identified the full genetic sequence of a Y chromosome, from an anonymous donor.
Both the male Y and female X chromosomes are thought to have originally been the same size, but after the Y took on the sex-determining role for maleness it apparently began to lose genes. At this time it also lost the ability to pair up exactly with its partner and to swap faulty genes for good ones, as the other 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes do.
Earlier studies had suggested that the Y chromosome carried only a few dozen genes, compared with more than 1,000 known on the X chromosome.
A team of Australian researchers led by Jenny Graves, of the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University in Canberra, previously found that the Y chromosome had been losing five genes per million years. Graves had thus predicted that the chromosome might be heading for extinction within five to 10 million years.
But Page said that the Y's full genome sequence has revealed that scientists generally had underestimated both its number of genes and its powers of self-preservation.
The team believes the Y has developed an apparently unique way of pairing up with itself. They found that many of its 50 million DNA "letters" occur in sequences known as palindromes. Like their grammatical counterparts, these sequences of letters read the same forward as backward but are arranged in opposite directions — like a mirror image — on both strands of the DNA double helix. This means that a back-up copy of each of the genes they contain occurs at each end of the sequence.
When the DNA divides during reproduction, the team believes, it opens an opportunity for genes to be shuffled or swapped and faulty copies to be deleted.
Instead of doubling up to protect its genetic cargo like other chromosomes, the lone Y safeguards its genes by having sex with itself, an international consortium has found. Proving perhaps that nature has a sense of humor, scientists have discovered that the Y chromosome - the one that makes a man a man - has a remarkable ability to make do-it-yourself repairs.
June 20, 2003 — The human male sex chromosome does have the ability to repair itself and may not be headed for extinction as had previously been thought, according to a surprising new study.
A 40-strong team of researchers led by David Page of the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, report their findings in this week's issue of the journal Nature.
As well as having a previously unknown and elaborate back-up system for self-repair, the Y chromosome also carries 78 genes.
"The Y chromosome is a hall of mirrors," said Page, whose team has for the first time identified the full genetic sequence of a Y chromosome, from an anonymous donor.
Both the male Y and female X chromosomes are thought to have originally been the same size, but after the Y took on the sex-determining role for maleness it apparently began to lose genes. At this time it also lost the ability to pair up exactly with its partner and to swap faulty genes for good ones, as the other 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes do.
Earlier studies had suggested that the Y chromosome carried only a few dozen genes, compared with more than 1,000 known on the X chromosome.
A team of Australian researchers led by Jenny Graves, of the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University in Canberra, previously found that the Y chromosome had been losing five genes per million years. Graves had thus predicted that the chromosome might be heading for extinction within five to 10 million years.
But Page said that the Y's full genome sequence has revealed that scientists generally had underestimated both its number of genes and its powers of self-preservation.
The team believes the Y has developed an apparently unique way of pairing up with itself. They found that many of its 50 million DNA "letters" occur in sequences known as palindromes. Like their grammatical counterparts, these sequences of letters read the same forward as backward but are arranged in opposite directions — like a mirror image — on both strands of the DNA double helix. This means that a back-up copy of each of the genes they contain occurs at each end of the sequence.
When the DNA divides during reproduction, the team believes, it opens an opportunity for genes to be shuffled or swapped and faulty copies to be deleted.
by John Ronane January 31, 2004
Get the y chromosome mug.by Sammy Fan April 27, 2004
Get the chromie mug.Related Words
Chromyre
• Chromyx
• Chromebook
• chrome
• chrome dome
• chromosome
• chromosexual
• chromeo
• chromies
• chromer
Chromosome which is found in both males and females. XY = male. XX = female. Sperm can be either an X or Y chromosome. During fertilization, if the Y chromosome sperm reaches the egg, then the baby is a boy. If the X chromosome sperm reaches the egg, then the baby is a girl.
Think of it as females having two copies of the same CD music album in every cell in their body, while males have one copy of that album in every cell in their body(x chromosome) and an extra single CD (the y chromosome) also in every cell in their body.
Even if the y chromosome was suffering from genetic degredation(which it is not) the effect could easily be reversed by genetic engineering.
Even if the y chromosome was suffering from genetic degredation(which it is not) the effect could easily be reversed by genetic engineering.
by John Ronane April 8, 2004
Get the x chromosome mug.N. Someone who is romantically attracted to certain colors.
Adj. A certain color that attracts people in a romantic way.
Origin: Chromatic (having to do with colors) + Romantic (you know what that means)
Adj. A certain color that attracts people in a romantic way.
Origin: Chromatic (having to do with colors) + Romantic (you know what that means)
N.
Joe: How come Bob always tries to date every girl who wears the color orange?
Anthony: Dude's a chromantic.
Adj.
Max: Why does everyone try to date that girl when she wears that green shirt?
Anthony: That's a chromantic green.
Joe: How come Bob always tries to date every girl who wears the color orange?
Anthony: Dude's a chromantic.
Adj.
Max: Why does everyone try to date that girl when she wears that green shirt?
Anthony: That's a chromantic green.
by Aivalleb August 2, 2009
Get the Chromantic mug.A chromebook is a device of which uses the bare minimum of technologies humans have built. However, it does run its own operating system, which is pretty cool. Conversely, it's generally a piece of shit.
by Real_World_Definitions April 29, 2019
Get the Chromebook mug.American jewelry company (founded by Richard Stark) that specializes in handmade silver accessories. It is renowned for its accessories (rings, ID bracelets, pendants, etc.) which feature fleur-de-lys, dagger and floral cross designs. A number of its products are branded with the phrase "FUCK YOU". It has also branched out into producing sunglasses and clothing such as sweatshirts, tanktops/wifebeaters, and t-shirts.
Chrome Hearts has developed as a major status symbol especially in cities where sold. Trendsetters, particularly in Los Angeles and Japan, have adopted this among Rolex and Mercedes as "the" items to have. Wearing Chrome Hearts denotes a rocker, bad ass, and wealthy lifestyle.
There are Chrome Hearts boutiques in New York, Tokyo, Osaka, Los Angeles, Malibu, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Paris (2006).
Celebrity Patrons
Celebrities who wear Chrome Hearts include: Rappers Jim Jones and Juelz Santana, Mary-Louise Parker, Ashlee Simpson, Lenny Kravitz, Cher, Eddie Murphy, Mischa Barton, Jamie Foxx, fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, and Cantopop star Nicholas Tse.
Rapper Jim Jones of the Harlem, NY based Diplomats apppears in the video for the song "We Fly High" wearing several items of clothing and jewelry made by Chrome Hearts, including one of their signature Wallet Chains. Juelz Santana (another member of the Diplomats) also appears in the same video wearing Chrome Hearts clothing, as does a female affiliate.
Chrome Hearts has developed as a major status symbol especially in cities where sold. Trendsetters, particularly in Los Angeles and Japan, have adopted this among Rolex and Mercedes as "the" items to have. Wearing Chrome Hearts denotes a rocker, bad ass, and wealthy lifestyle.
There are Chrome Hearts boutiques in New York, Tokyo, Osaka, Los Angeles, Malibu, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Paris (2006).
Celebrity Patrons
Celebrities who wear Chrome Hearts include: Rappers Jim Jones and Juelz Santana, Mary-Louise Parker, Ashlee Simpson, Lenny Kravitz, Cher, Eddie Murphy, Mischa Barton, Jamie Foxx, fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, and Cantopop star Nicholas Tse.
Rapper Jim Jones of the Harlem, NY based Diplomats apppears in the video for the song "We Fly High" wearing several items of clothing and jewelry made by Chrome Hearts, including one of their signature Wallet Chains. Juelz Santana (another member of the Diplomats) also appears in the same video wearing Chrome Hearts clothing, as does a female affiliate.
On the Showtime original show Weeds the main character, Nancy Botwin, played by Mary-Louise Parker has been shown wearing Chrome Hearts clothing.
by Nevin Fernyhough November 6, 2006
Get the CHROME HEARTS mug.A totally and completely useless individual whose sole purpose in life is to stand there and look good. They have the potential to do something useful, but just won't. Chromos generally go to great lengths to avoid responsibility. They are usually very self-centered, incredibly dense, impulsive liars, and are almost always undeniably hot.
Believe it or not, this term comes from the word "chromoplast," an organelle within a plant cell that is created once a chloroplast dies. Chromoplasts, like chromos, are useless. They only provide nice colors for the plant, hence the general hotness of chromos.
Believe it or not, this term comes from the word "chromoplast," an organelle within a plant cell that is created once a chloroplast dies. Chromoplasts, like chromos, are useless. They only provide nice colors for the plant, hence the general hotness of chromos.
My ex-boyfriend is such a chromo!
by kj G. February 10, 2006
Get the Chromo mug.