Question

Generally, complex organisms do require more genes to control their synthesis and organization than do primitive organisms. However, the numbers of chromosomes vary from ants with 2, molds with 8-14, humans with 46, potatoes with 100 and the crayfish with 200! Some birds and insects have chromosomes that dwindle in size into obscurity, so it is not possible to establish a diploid number.

a. there must be no relationship between amount of genetic information and complexity of the organism.
b. the number of genes per chromosome may vary among organisms, preventing a simple relationship between chromosome number and complexity.
c. birds and insects probably cannot follow the same mitotic laws as other organisms.
d. All of the choices are correct.

Answer 1

The number of chromosomes in an organism does not directly correlate with its complexity because the number of genes on each chromosome can vary. Thus, complexity is not just determined by chromosome count but also by the genetic diversity within those chromosomes. Correct answer is b.

Step-by-step explanation:

Correct answer is b. The relationship between chromosome number and the complexity of an organism is not direct or simple. While it might seem intuitive that more complex organisms have more chromosomes, this is not always the case. For instance, humans have 46 chromosomes, potatoes have about 100, and some species of fern can have over 1200. The number of genes per chromosome can widely vary among organisms, which challenges the simplistic view that the number of chromosomes is directly related to an organism's complexity. Furthermore, some birds and insects have very small chromosomes that make it challenging to count them accurately, but this does not mean that they do not follow the same mitotic laws as other organisms.

In conclusion, the option that best addresses the variation in chromosome numbers across different species while acknowledging an organism's complexity is 'the number of genes per chromosome may vary among organisms, preventing a simple relationship between chromosome number and complexity'.