A new experiment suggests that a Y chromosome is no longer to needed to make a male. Scientists have taken mice and begun to "play" around with the chromosomes, making it possible that any detection of the Y chromosome simply does not exist. Some researchers believe that later in evolution the Y chromosome will no longer be needed, other scientists disagree and so do I. The researchers found that the male mice that were made without the Y chromosome, could not produce sperm or had immature sperm. I think that without a Y chromosome, reproduction is not an option. Experimenters used the Sox9 gene usually turned on in females, was expressed, developing the male. These were the males that did not make sperm. For mice to make sperm they must have the
Eif2s3y gene, therefore, if there was no Y chromosome, this gene is not there.
I find this article weird. Why would we try to find males without the Y chromosome? There is the X and Y chromosome which determines the sex, why are we looking for more options? I understand there are chromosome mutations such as Kleinfelter's Disease (XXY), but no Y at all, makes you a female. It is really an interesting topic, but very weird. It's hard to tell what scientists are trying to get from this type of study.
I also find this article very weird and I do not understand why scienstist would want to do this in the first place. Because it is true that each chromosome contains its own genes and without the Y chromosome there will be problems as you mentioned, like not being able to produce sperm. I think that they should just let males be created the way they are supposed to with a X and Y chromosome.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this research seems to be done with no clear conclusion that the scientists are trying to determine. Instead they seem to be truly "playing" around and nothing more. Without the ability to produce sperm so these mice will be ruled out by natural selection and the next generation of mice.
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