Scientists have fully sequenced the Y chromosome for the first time, uncovering information that could have implications for the study of male infertility and other health problems.
Key points
- Scientists used advanced sequencing technologies to read out the full DNA sequence of the Y chromosome — a region of the genome that typically drives male reproductive development. Humans typically have a pair of sex chromosomes in each cell.
- People who are assigned male at birth have an X and a Y chromosome, while those assigned female at birth have two X chromosomes.
- The more detailed information provided by the new Y reference sequence will make it easier to study conditions and disorders linked to the chromosome, such as lack of sperm production that leads to infertility.
- The Y chromosome is very small.
- It likely contains 50 to 60 genes and represents 2% of a cell’s total DNA.
- Females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have one X and one Y. Because only males have the Y chromosome, the genes on this chromosome tend to be involved in male sex determination and development.
- The Y chromosome is unique for its highly repetitive structure.
