Dosage compensation offsets the problems associated with differences in the number of ________ chromosomes in many species.

Question

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Dosage compensation refers to the process by which organisms with different numbers of sex chromosomes equalize the expression of genes between the sexes. This is necessary because males and females have different numbers of sex chromosomes (males have one X and one Y, while females have two Xs), which can lead to imbalances in gene expression. Dosage compensation mechanisms vary between species, but the goal is always to ensure that males and females produce roughly equal amounts of gene products from genes located on the sex chromosomes. Dosage compensation is not typically necessary for autosomes (non-sex chromosomes) because both males and females have the same number of autosomes. Somatic and nuclear chromosomes are not meaningful distinctions in this context.

Dosage Compensation Offsets the Problems Associated with Differences in the Number