An organism with a genome size of n = 23 experienced a Robertsonian translocation. How many chromosomes would you expect to see in the karyotype of a somatic cell in an affected individual?
A)21
B)25
C)42
D)44
E)46

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A Robertsonian translocation involves the fusion of two acrocentric chromosomes, reducing the total chromosome number by one. In this case, the organism originally has 2n = 46 chromosomes, so after the translocation, it would have 45 chromosomes. However, the question asks for the number of chromosomes in a somatic cell, which would be 44 because the organism's original diploid number is 46, and one pair is affected by the translocation.

An Organism with a Genome Size of N = 23