What is the difference between an autosome and a sex chromosome

The female has two X chromosomes and all female egg cells normally carry a single X. The eggs fertilized by X-bearing sperm become females XX whereas those fertilized by Y-bearing sperm becomes males XY. This arrangement means that it is the male that determines the sex of the offspring when fertilization occurs.

Viva Differences. What Is Autosome? Comments are closed. Sex chromosomes carry sex-determining genes but may also carry many other genes that have nothing to do with sex. Given that the male sex chromosomes are heteromorphic, the position of the centromere is not identical.

The position of the centromere in female sex chromosomes is identical. Male gametes are made either of an X or Y chromosome plus 22 autosomal chromosomes. The joining of two gametes containing both X chromosomes produces a female offspring. On the contrary, the joining of two gametes, containing either an X or Y chromosomes produce a male offspring. The fertilization of two gametes, each containing a haploid set of chromosomes makes human genome diploid.

Some unfertilized eggs of ants and bees develop into haploid males while fertilization makes females. Sex-linked genetic disorders such as hemophilia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy occur due to the defective second copy of the same gene.

Figure 2: X-linked recessive inheritance. Autosomes: Autosomes determine the trait. Males and females contain the same copy of autosomes. Sex Chromosomes: Sex chromosomes determine the gender. They are different in males and females by their size, form, and behavior. Autosomes: Autosomes are labeled with numbers, from 1 to Autosomes: Most of the chromosomes within a genome are autosomes.

Sex Chromosomes: A few of the chromosomes within a genome are sex chromosomes. Autosomes: The 22 pairs of autosomes are homologous in humans. Sex Chromosomes: Female sex chromosomes XX are homologous homomorphic while male sex chromosomes XY are non-homologous heteromorphic.

Autosomes: Since autosomes are homomorphic, the position of the centromere is identical. Sex Chromosomes: Since the male sex chromosomes are heteromorphic, the position of the centromere is not identical.

The position of the centromere in female sex chromosomes is identical. Autosomes: Autosomes contain the number of genes varying from to Chromosome 1 which is the largest, carries about genes in humans.

Sex chromosomes: X chromosome contains more than genes while Y chromosome contains only a few genes since it is small in size. There are 22 pairs of autosomes in humans. Each autosome contains a large number of genes arranges in a definite sequence. In these homologous pairs, the 2 chromosomes are of the same length. However, in these, the position of the centromere is the same. Moreover, mitosis is the process by which all these chromosomes duplicate and give one copy of each chromosome to each of the daughter cells.

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Among them, one pair is sex chromosomes. Other 22 are autosomes. Thus, sex chromosomes are of 2 types; X and Y. In these, Y is smaller. Hence, X and Y are partially homologous. However, they pair up and segregate into daughter cells during meiosis. Males have X and Y combination while females have X and X combination.

Moreover, all female gametes carry only one X chromosome. Male gametes may carry either X or Y. The number carrying X is equal to the number carrying Y. If an ovum unites with a sperm carrying X, the result is a female XX. If an ovum fertilizes with a sperm carrying Y, the result is a male XY. All the genes carried by X chromosomes do not determine sexuality.