What Is Y Chromosome, Crucial for Determining Male Sex? What Is Causing Its Disappearance? Will There Be No Men on Earth in Future?
The Y chromosome, vital for determining male sex, is shrinking over time, losing most of its genes. If this continues, it could eventually disappear, raising questions about the future of male existence.
Mumbai, August 27: The chromosomes that determine a person's biological sex at birth are the X and Y chromosomes. Typically, XX chromosomes define females, while XY chromosomes define males. The Y chromosome, passed from father to son, is crucial for male biological characteristics. It carries genes essential for male development and is a key factor in determining male sex.
NIH study quotes that humans have a total of 46 chromosomes, made up of 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (XX or XY). Each chromosome pair includes one chromosome from the mother and one from the father, meaning children inherit half of their chromosomes from each parent. Stress in Intestine Influences Chromosome Inheritance, Says Study.
What Is a Y Chromosome?
Reports suggest that the X chromosome normally contains 900 genes that are transferred from the mother or father to a child that identifies a child's characteristics except for the sex. The Y chromosome is found in males, who have one X and one Y chromosome, whereas females have two X chromosomes. The Y chromosome helps build the male reproductive organ and secondary features such as facial hair and deepening of the voice during puberty. Sex Hormones, Chromosomes Behind Better COVID-19 Outcomes in Women Than Men, Says Study.
Is the Y Chromosome Facing Extinction?
The Y chromosome has drastically reduced over 600 million years throughout its active gene count, shrinking from around 900 genes to just 55, losing about five genes per million years. If this trend continues, the Y chromosome could potentially disappear within the next 11 million years. Unlike the X chromosome, which contains approximately 900 genes with various functions, the Y chromosome now holds only around 55 genes, with just 27 being male-specific. The majority of the Y chromosome consists of repetitive "junk DNA," making it highly unstable and at risk of vanishing across future generations.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 27, 2024 08:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).