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Question about chromosomes?
The horse has 32 pairs of chromosomes; the donkey has 31 pairs of chromosomes. How many chromosomes would be expected in the somatic (non-gametic) tissue of the mule hybrid?
Ok, so I know the answer is 63. But my question is why? How come it's additive? Could someone explain this to me?
3 Answers
- 10 years agoFavorite Answer
The sex cells (sperm or ova) which participate in the fertilization process carry half of the pair of chromosomes. So one has 31 single chromosomes & the other 32. Both cells(sperm & ovum) literally fuse to becomeone cell so the chromosomes they carried is the numbe for the resultant cell.
- Anonymous10 years ago
It's not additive:)
32 pairs of chromosomes = 64 chromosomes (horse)
31 pairs of chromosomes = 62 chromosomes (mule)
So the hybrid would have 31 pairs of chromosomes plus an extra one chromosome:)
I hope this makes sense. I'm not sure why the hybrid would have an unequal number of chromosomes though.
Source(s): I'm a B.Sc graduate majoring in molecular bio and biotech - Anonymous10 years ago
Horse gamete has 32 single chromosomes.
Donkey gamete has 31 single chromosomes. At fertilisation 31 + 32 = 63 in total.
