MadSci Network: Genetics
Query:

Re: Is it possible to have mutant animals if their is less,or more chromosomes

Date: Tue Feb 17 09:51:03 2004
Posted By: Abhishek Dey Das, Undergraduate, Biology, Bholananda National Vidyalaya
Area of science: Genetics
ID: 1076859929.Ge
Message:

Hi!
I don't know what they have showed in 'Wrong Turn' but mutations are possible.
Mutations do occur due to the change in the number of chromosomes. There
can be three types of mutations:
1. Autoploidy: increase in number of the same genome.
2. Alloploidy: increase in number of chromosome sets due to coming together
of two or more genomes.
3. Autoalloploidy: genomes of two species come together with one species
having more than the diploid number of chromosomes.
Infact mutated organisms are already in use. Transgenic plants can be a
very good example. The GM food is an example of transgenic plants. Animals
can similarily be mutated too. However mutations in the case of GM plants
and (similar) animals is not a very good way to interpret it. They are
usually called Genetically Modified Plants/Animals.

Mutation can be back or forward. An example of forward mutation can be the
evolving of humans (46 chromosomes) from apes (48 chromosomes).

According to origin mutation can be spontaneous or induced.

Spontaneous mutations are due to internal causes without any relation to
external factor of the environment.
It can be divided into:
  • Copy Error.
  • Due to tatutomerism of the nitrogen bases.
  • De-amination of cytosine.
  • Background radiations. Induced mutations are those developed in response to factors in the environment. The factors may be biological (viruses), physical (UV rays, temperature, ionizing rays) or chemical mutagens (nitrous acid, hydroxylamine, hydrazine, alkalyting agents, etc). There are several methods through which mutations are induced in the laboratory like Substitution, Transition substitution, Transversion substitution, Frame-Shift mechanism and others. These process really don't change the chromosome number but delete or add or change base pairs. If the mutations shown in the movie are made in the lab, then most probably it is through the above methods. From, Abhishek Dey Das. Homepage: http://www.freepgs.com/abhishek.

  • Current Queue | Current Queue for Genetics | Genetics archives

    Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Genetics.



    MadSci Home | Information | Search | Random Knowledge Generator | MadSci Archives | Mad Library | MAD Labs | MAD FAQs | Ask a ? | Join Us! | Help Support MadSci


    MadSci Network, webadmin@www.madsci.org
    © 1995-2003. All rights reserved.