Autosome is a term that is used in the field of genetics to describe a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. The term autosome is derived from the Greek word “autos” which means “self” and “soma” which means “body”. In this article, we will explore the definition and meaning of autosome, its origin, and its associations.
Definitions
An autosome is a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. It is one of the 22 pairs of chromosomes in humans that are not involved in determining the sex of an individual. Autosomes contain genes that determine various traits such as eye color, hair color, and height.
Origin
The term autosome was first used by geneticist Theodor Boveri in 1904. Boveri was studying the process of cell division and noticed that chromosomes behaved differently during the process. He observed that some chromosomes were involved in determining the sex of an individual, while others were not. He coined the term autosome to describe the non-sex chromosomes.
Meaning in different dictionaries
The term autosome is defined in various dictionaries as a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. For example, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines autosome as “any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome”. The Oxford dictionary defines it as “any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome and occurs in pairs in somatic cells”.
Associations
Autosomes are associated with various genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, and Klinefelter syndrome. These disorders are caused by abnormalities in the number or structure of the autosomes.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of autosome include somatic chromosome, non-sex chromosome, and autosomal chromosome.
Antonyms
The antonym of autosome is sex chromosome.
The same root words
The same root words as autosome include autosomal, autosomally, and autosomous.
Example Sentences
- The genetic disorder Down syndrome is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, which is an autosome.
- Autosomal dominant inheritance means that only one copy of the gene is needed to cause the disorder.
- The inheritance of eye color is determined by genes located on autosomes.