On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:25:38 +0000 (UTC), news user
 wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I have a question about how through evolution the number of chromosomes
>can change. When the number of chromosomes changes by accident, how is
>this transmitted to the next generation and so creating a new species ?
>
>Man has 23 chromosome pairs (46 chromosomes) and a chimpansee has 24 pairs
>(48 chromosomes). Gametogensis and the fusion of sperm and oocyte is a
>delicate process for which the distribution of equal pairs of chromosomes
>is important. A change in the number of chromosomes in one individual will
>isolate it from sexual transmission of its genes to the next generation as
>far as I can see ?
>
In the case of many plants, changes in chromosome number as in
polyploidy can be transmitted through asexual reproduction, building
up a large enough clone population to reproduce sexually.

In other cases of chromosomal splitting or fusion, the two smaller
chromosomes from one parent are similar enough to the corresponding
regions on the larger chromosome from the other that synapsis in
meiosis can occur reasonably normally.
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