Jamshedpur: A recent study has revealed that the Y Chromosome which plays a key factor to determine male sex may vanish in some Million years. The implication of this study leads to a chance of a world where only females would exist.
So, what exactly is a Y Chromosome and what does it do? We’ll explain it to you in this article.
The Y Chromosome is one of the two sex Chromosomes that play a key role in determining an individual’s sex. In humans and most mammals, the presence of these chromosomes dictates whether an individual is male or female. Females possess two X chromosomes in their cells, whereas males have one X and one Y chromosome.
In humans and many mammals, each cell contains a pair of sex chromosomes. Females have two X chromosomes, whereas males have one X and one Y chromosome. The Y chromosome is quite small, comprising about 2% of the cell’s total DNA and containing roughly 50 to 60 genes. Since the Y chromosome is present only in males, its genes are primarily involved in determining and developing male traits.
What will happen if the Y Chromosomes disappear?
We require sperm and men to reproduce, so losing the Y chromosome might mean the end of humans. However, new research suggests that humans could develop a different way to determine sex, which is a relief.
Still, evolving a new sex-determining system could have risks. If different regions develop different systems, it might lead to the creation of new species, like what happened with mole voles and spiny rats.
So, there is a chance if someone visited Earth in 11 million years, they might find no humans at all or several distinct human species, each with their own sex determination systems.
Are there chances of reproducing Y Chromosomes?
A new study has brought back a glimmer of hope. According to researchers, they have discovered that a rodent species from Japan named Spiny Rat has evolved a male determining gene after losing its Y Chromosomes entirely. This adaptation could offer how humans might survive the disappearance of their own Y Chromosomes in future.
A study led by Asato Kuroiwa at Hokkaido University, has found Spiny rats have relocated their Y Chromosome to other Chromosomes. Researchers has also found a small DNA duplication near the SOX9 gene on chromosome 3 that is present in all male spiny rats but not in females. This duplication seems to turn on the SOX9 gene, which compensates for the missing SRY gene needed for male development. The study shows that even though the Y chromosome is gone in spiny rats, they have adapted by using a different method to determine sex.
While the new study on Spiny rats has given us a glimmer of hope, it also raises questions about what our future of survival holds. The new emerging human species may sound intriguing, but it will also come with certain difficulties. Researchers are working on it to diminish the problem for the future of mankind.
