7 Remarkable Difference between X and Y Chromosomes

Table of Contents

What is the difference between X and Y chromosomes?

Gender is determined by sex chromosomes. XX is associated with female chromosomes and XY are termed as male chromosomes.

The main difference between X and Y chromosomes is that X chromosome is a sex chromosome that determines female gender whereas Y chromosome is a sex chromosome that determines male gender.

Difference between X and Y Chromosomes

Comparison Table (XX vs XY Chromosomes)

Basic Terms	X Chromosome	Y Chromosome
Meaning	It is a sex chromosome that occurs in paired among female cells and singles among male cells	It is a sex chromosome which is present in male cells
Sex Determination	Contain genes that determine female gender	Contain genes that determine male gender
Size and Number	Tend to be bigger and about 155 million base pairs	Tend to be smaller and about 59 million base pair
Represent	5 percent of the human genome	2 percent of the human genome
Number of Genes	About 100 genes	About 70 genes
Female and Male genotype	XX genotype	XY genotype
SYR Gene	Do not contain SYR gene	Contain SYR gene for testes development

What Is X Chromosome?

It is among the two sex chromosomes present in human beings. X chromosomes occur in pair among female cells and single among male cells.

X chromosomes are numerous and they tend to represent 5 percent of the human genome. During embryo development, one X chromosome tends to be inactivated permanently.

What Is Y Chromosome?

It is a sex chromosome present in male cells. They are key determinants of male gender among human beings.

The chromosomes are less in number and they tend to represent about 2 percent of the human genome. Besides that, they contain fewer genes than X chromosomes.

Main Difference between X and Y Chromosomes

X chromosome contain more genes whereas Y chromosome contain fewer genes

X chromosomes have 155 base pairs whereas Y chromosomes have 59 base pairs

X chromosome represent about 5 percent of the human genome whereas the Y chromosome represents about 2 percent of the human genome

X chromosome contain female sex determination whereas Y chromosome contain male sex determination

Y chromosome contain SYR gene for testes development whereas X chromosome does not contain SYR gene.

Read More: Difference between Gene and Allele

Similarities between X and Y Chromosome

Both are sex chromosomes in human beings

Both contain p arm, q arm and a centromere.

Both consists of pseudoautosomal regions at both termini

Both contain homologous chromosomes

Comparison Video

Conclusion

The core difference between X and Y chromosome is that X chromosome is used in determining female sex and Y chromosome in determining male gender.

Female cells have two X chromosomes and male cells have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. Hence, these chromosomes are regarded as sex chromosomes.

More Sources and References

Sex Chromosome. NCBI
Sex of Offspring. Nature

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