Humans carry 46 chromosomes versus chimpanzees' 48 because chromosome 2 is a head-to-head fusion of two ancestral chromosomes. This same fusion appears in Neanderthals and Denisovans, and even butterflies share fused chromosomes, so it's not unique evidence for any origin theory.
Human chromosome 2 fusion shared among Neanderthals, Denisovans, and other species
Key facts
- Humans have 46 chromosomes; chimpanzees have 48
- Human chromosome 2 is a head-to-head fusion of two ancestral chromosomes
- The same fusion event is found in Neanderthals and Denisovans
- All hominids capable of producing viable offspring had to share this chromosomal setup
- Butterflies are among other species that also have fused chromosomes
- Host notes that fused chromosomes are not unique evidence for any particular human origin theory
Sources
fusion of 2 small chromosomes, Matt Ridleydnalc.cshl.edu
Interviewee: Matt Ridley. The second largest human chromosome, chromosome 2, was formed from the fusion of two medium-sized chromosomes.
Revised time estimation of the ancestral human chromosome ...link.springer.com
by B Poszewiecka · Cited by 28 — The ancestral chromosomal fusion, creating the human chromosome 2 (HSA2) and reduction of the chromosome number from 48 in the Great Apes to 46 ...
Chromosome 2en.wikipedia.org
Fusion · The correspondence of chromosome 2 to two ape chromosomes. The closest human relative, the chimpanzee, has nearly identical DNA sequences to human ...
When did human chromosome 2 fuse?johnhawks.net
The team did a quick calculation, estimating that the fusion happened around 740,000 years ago, with a large confidence interval from zero to ...
Genomic Structure and Evolution of the Ancestral ... - PMCpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
by Y Fan · 2002 · Cited by 175 — Human chromosome 2 was formed by the head-to-head fusion of two ancestral chromosomes that remained separate in other primates. Sequences that once resided near ...
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