Question

Explain a chromosome deletion and the effect it can have on a human.

Answer 1

Answer:

Deletion mutation refers to the deletion of a sequence of DNA or a part of a chromosome.

It can vary from a deletion of a single nucleotide to an entire chromosome.

It is usually caused by errors during replication, errors during crossing over, and translocation.

Deletion can cause various genetic disorders in human, for example, Williams syndrome (deletion of genetic material from chromosome 7), cystic fibrosis (2/3rd cases are caused by deletion of three nucleotides from chromosome 7), cri du chat syndrome (due to deletion mutation occur in chromosome 5) et cetera.

It can also lead to infertility in males.

In extreme cases, it can also lead to the death of an individual.

Answer 2

Chromosome deletion is a mutation (a genetic aberration) in which a part of a chromosome or a sequence of DNA is lost during DNA replication. Deletions can be caused by errors in chromosomal crossover during meiosis, which causes several serious genetic diseases. Small deletions are less likely to be fatal; large deletions are usually fatal — there are always variations based on which genes are lost. Some medium-sized deletions lead to recognizable human disorders, affecting muscle tissue, brain function etc.