Jump to content

Why does chromosome multiplicity lead to abnormalities?


Uncommon Ancestor

Recommended Posts

So I was reading this recent thread about people having multiple X chromosomes and both Klinefelter syndrome and the triple X syndrome were mentioned. While it would be apparently more obvious why XXY people might have problems (feminisation of males bearing a Y chromosome), I can't reach to understand why does having more than two X chromosomes lead to abnormalities in females.

My knowledge about the subject is pretty basic, so even though I can understand why the existence of a single one chromosome could trigger the apparition of otherwise recessive traits (such as hemophilia and daltonism) I can't figure out why in the reverse case things go wrong as well. Could it have something to do with over-expression of some genes? I don't know. That applies both to 3X syndrome and to Down's, amongst other cases, too.

Also, as far as I know, similar cases in plants tend not to cause problems at all (polyploidy), so why should it cause trouble in humans?

An explanation would be highly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Edited by Uncommon Ancestor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.