According to a recent research, the possibility of extinction of the Y chromosome has been predicted. As we know, the Y chromosome plays an important role in determining the gender of a male. The findings of this research are quite worrying as it says that the number of girls may increase in the future, while the Y chromosome is on the verge of extinction.

How is the gender of the foetus determined?

It is important to understand the process of determining the gender of the foetus. Our bodies have X and Y chromosomes. Women have two X chromosomes while men have one X and one Y chromosome. When the egg and sperm meet, the SRY gene is activated which makes the foetus male.

After about 12 weeks of pregnancy, the SRY gene is activated. Based on this, it can be decided whether the fetus is male or female. The fetus producing the male hormone testosterone is born as a male.

The Y chromosome and its disappearance

The SRY gene was discovered in 1990, and it was found that it activates the SOX9 gene, which triggers the development of the male gender. But why is the Y chromosome disappearing? In the 166 million years since humans and platypuses diverged, the Y chromosome has lost a lot of active genes. The number has dropped from 900 to just 55. This represents a loss of about five genes every million years. If this trend continues, the Y chromosome could disappear completely in the next 11 million years.

The X chromosome contains about 900 genes, while the Y chromosome contains only 55 genes, 27 of which are male-specific. The majority of the Y chromosome is made up of repetitive 'junk DNA'. This suggests that the Y chromosome may disappear completely over several generations.

Disclosure of research report

Professor Jenny Graves, an expert in genetics, says that the reduction in the size of the Y chromosome is not a new thing. She said that the XY chromosomes in the platypus look like a normal pair, which indicates that earlier the X and Y chromosomes were a normal pair. In some rodent species, such as the mole vole of Eastern Europe and the spiny rat of Japan, the Y chromosome has already disappeared. In these species, the X chromosome remains in both males and females, but the Y chromosome and the SRY gene have disappeared. The possibility of the Y chromosome disappearing is a matter of concern, but it is part of the research process of scientists. More studies will be done related to this which will help in understanding this subject better.

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