What is the difference between autosomes and chromosomes

Sex chromosomes are those that are needed for determining sex male or female of an individual. Autosomes are all the rest of the chromosomes that are not needed for sex determination. Autosomes are chromosomes that do not carry any genes that determine the sex of the individual.

Autosomes are referred to numerically e. Autosomes differ from sex chromosomes, which make up the 23 rd pair of chromosomes in all normal human cells and come in two forms, called X and Y. Humans have a total of 46 chromosomes in each body cell; 44 of these are Autosomes. You get one set of 22 autosomes from your mother and another 22 from your father. It is often easier to think about our Autosomes in pairs because even though we have 44 autosomes. A sex chromosome is a type of chromosome that participates in sex determination.

A genome mainly consists of autosomes. For example, human body contains 46 chromosomes within its genome and 44 chromosomes of them are autosomes.

Autosomes exist as homologous pairs and 22 autosome pairs can be identified in the human genome. Both autosomal chromosomes contain the same genes, which are arranged in the same order. But an autosomal chromosome pair differs from other autosomal chromosome pairs within the same genome.

These pairs are labeled from 1 to 22, according to the base pair sizes contained in each chromosome. Autosomes also participate in sex determination. SOX9 gene is an autosomal gene on chromosome It activates the function of TDF factor which is encoded by Y chromosome.

TDF factor is critical in male sex determination. Hence, a mutation of SOX9 causes the development of Y chromosome, resulting in a female. Autosomal genetic disorders occur due to either the non-disjunction in parent chromosomes Aneuploidy during gametogenesis or the Mendelian inheritance of deleterious alleles. Disorders with Mendelian inheritance can either be dominant or recessive Ex: Sickle cell anemia. Figure 1: Human male karyotype. Sex chromosomes are referred to as allosomes.

They determine the sex of an individual. The sex determination also happens in most animals and many plants. Humans have only 2 sex chromosomes in their genome which are labeled as X chromosome and Y chromosome. A female individual is determined by XX and a male individual is determined by XY.

A female contains the same two copies of sex determining genes arranged in the same order in both X chromosomes homomorphic. Therefore the sex chromosomes in a female are homologous to each other. During Meiosis , female gametes are made of a single X chromosome plus 22 autosomal chromosomes. Each of the chromosomes is composed of the tightly packed DNA, that is coiled around the histones protein. Although the location and structure of a chromosome may vary among prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses, like in prokaryotic cells the chromosome consist of DNA, while non-living viruses the chromosome may consist of either RNA or DNA, in eukaryotes, the chromosomes are enclosed within a membrane-bound nucleus.

With all such information, at this moment we will be highlighting the points that differentiate the autosomes and sex chromosomes, also known as allosomes. We will also provide a brief description of them. Basis for Comparison Autosomes Chromosomes Meaning Such a pair of chromosomes that regulate the somatic characters of the body are known as autosomes.

The pair of chromosomes that determines the sex of an organism, as they regulate the sex-linked traits. Labelled as They are named or numbered from 1 to Other features The maximum number of chromosomes in our genome are the autosomes. There are a few numbers of sex chromosomes in our genome. Autosomes 22 pairs are homologous in humans. Male sex chromosomes XY are non-homologous, while female sex chromosomes XX are homologous. In autosomes the centromere position is identical.

In sex chromosomes the centromere position os non-identical. It proves the Mendelian inheritance. It shows Non-Mendelian inheritance. The number of genes carried by autosomes varies from to The Y chromosomes contain only a few genes, while X chromosome has more than genes. The non-sex chromosomes present in organisms are the autosomes.