[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
...
The genome is already messy. The notion that are chromosomes have a neat
lineup of genes is incorrect. There are insertions into the middle of genes
(introns). Many genes are spread over discontinuous aspects of a single
chromosome. Some insertions into the middle of genes destroy function but many do not.
Yes, I know that. But if everybody's genome is messy
in the same way, then their chromosomes can still match
up quite well. Are there variations between people in
terms of what/where the introns are?
I wish Alberto would chime in, but it seems that you don't
understand the question: "Isn't it sometimes bad when an
individual has a pair of chromosomes that don't match up
well?" (Which would be produced if their parents had
different numbers of various genes, right?)
As far as I can tell, the answer is that it's not that
bad. (Although I get the sense that we don't yet understand
enough about the role of wrapping/unwrapping DNA to give
a definitive answer.) It's certainly bad if it gets to the
point where chromosomes don't segregate properly at meiosis,
but that's when the match ups between chromosome pairs are
really poor.
---David
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