6. Chromosomal Variation

In this chapter, we focused on extranuclear inheritance and how traits can be determined by genetic information contained in mitochondria and chloroplasts, and we discussed how expression of maternal genotypes can affect the phenotype of an organism. At the same time, we found many opportunities to consider the methods and reasoning by which much of this information was acquired. From the explanations given in the chapter, what answers would you propose to the following fundamental questions?How was it established that particular phenotypes are inherited as a result of genetic information present in the chloroplast rather than in the nucleus?

In this chapter, we have focused on chromosomal mutations resulting from a change in number or arrangement of chromosomes. In our discussions, we found many opportunities to consider the methods and reasoning by which much of this information was acquired. From the explanations given in the chapter, what answers would you propose to the following fundamental questions?How do we know that human aneuploidy for each of the 22 autosomes occurs at conception, even though most often human aneuploids do not survive embryonic or fetal development and thus are never observed at birth?

In this chapter, we have focused on chromosomal mutations resulting from a change in number or arrangement of chromosomes. In our discussions, we found many opportunities to consider the methods and reasoning by which much of this information was acquired. From the explanations given in the chapter, what answers would you propose to the following fundamental questions?How do we know that the extra chromosome causing Down syndrome is usually maternal in origin?

For a species with a diploid number of 18, indicate how many chromosomes will be present in the somatic nuclei of individuals that are haploid, tetraploid, trisomic, and monosomic.