Name: Cracking the Code: Human Genome Project
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 9 min 20 s
Description: Human Genome Project is to sequence the entire human genome containing 3 x 10^9 bp. This application of genetic engineering and bioinformatics took 13 long y...

Question

Describe male hetero-gamety.

Accepted Answer

In the male heterogamety, the males (heterogametic) produce dissimilar gametes while females (homogametic) produce similar gametes. Male heterogamety is of two kinds, XX-XO type and XX-XY type.

XX-XO: In some insects such as bugs, grasshoppers and cockroaches, females are with two X-chromosomes and males are with one X-chromosome in each somatic cell. The unpaired X-chromosome determines the male sex. The karyotype of the female (homogametic) is AAXX and that of the male (heterogametic) is AAXO. All the ova contain ‘AX’ complement of chromosomes and the sperms are of two types. One half of the sperms have ‘AX’ complement and the other half have ‘A’ complement of chromosomes. The sex of the offspring depends on the type of sperm that fertilizes the ovum.

XX-XY: In human beings and some insects such as Drosophila, both females and males have the same number of chromosomes. The karyotype of the female is AAXX and that of the male is AAXY. Females are ‘homogametic’ with ‘XX’ chromosomes. They produce similar ova having one X-chromosome each. Males are ‘heterogametic’ with X and Y-chromosomes. They produce two kinds of sperms; one half of them with X-chromosome and the other half with Y-chromosome. The sex of the offspring depends on the fertilizing sperm. The XX-XY type is also found in most other mammals.

Describe male hetero-gamety.

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