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Question

Question: Why are chromosomes important to heredity?...

Why are chromosomes important to heredity?

Explanation

Solution

A chromosome is a condensed DNA molecule that contains part or all of an organism's genetic material. Most eukaryotic chromosomes contain histones, which, with the help of chaperone proteins, attach to and condense the DNA molecule to keep it intact. These chromosomes have a complicated three-dimensional structure that influences transcriptional control.

Complete answer:
Only during the metaphase of cell division are chromosomes visible under a light microscope. Each chromosome is duplicated first, and the two copies are connected by a centromere, forming an X-shaped structure if the centromere is placed equatorially or a two-arm configuration if the centromere is located distally. Sister chromatids are the new name for the linked copies. A metaphase chromosome is a highly condensed X-shaped structure that is easiest to recognise and study during metaphase. During chromosome segregation in animal cells, chromosomes achieve their most compact state in anaphase.
Chromosomes, which contain the DNA that makes up genes, are found in the nucleus of each cell. Each of us is unique because our genes are passed down from our parents to our children. In other words, your chromosomes determine who you are. It is crucial to have the correct number of chromosomes in order to have a good pregnancy.
In genomics, heredity refers to the transmission of genetic data/information from parents to offspring. This 'information' is stored in the DNA as nucleotide sequences.
Each cell's DNA helix coils up to create a chromosome, which works as a package transporting genetic information from the parent cell to the daughter cell during cell division.

Note:
Genetic variation is mostly determined by chromosomal recombination during meiosis and subsequent sexual reproduction. The cell may undergo mitotic catastrophe if these structures are altered inappropriately by mechanisms such as chromosomal instability and translocation. Normally, this causes the cell to undergo apoptosis, which leads to its own death, but mutations in the cell can obstruct this process, causing cancer to grow.