Re: Do humans have two active DNA strands out of twelve?

Hi Patty,

Here's a brief overview of the organization of the human genome: All of our many thousands of genes are organized into 24 physically separate units known as chromosomes. Each chromosome consists of two long strands of DNA, held together by hydrogen bonds. Every human inherits one "set" of 23 chromosomes from each parent, giving each of us a grand total of 46. Each set contains 22 autosomes and an X or Y sex chromosome. Normal human females have two X chromosomes, while human males have one X and one Y. "Autosome" is the general name given to the chromosomes that don't determine our genetic sex (everything besides X and Y), and they are simply identified as chromosomes 1-22. A complete copy of each of these 46 chromosomes resides in the nucleus of most cells of the body, and ALL 46 chromosomes are necessary for proper growth, development, and functions of the body. In other words, they are all "active" throughout our lives.

For more detailed information on this topic, you can check out the following site: http://www.bis.med.jhmi.edu/Dan/DOE/intro.html

I hope this helps! I'd be happy to hear from you again if you have any further questions.

Regards, Jen