Below is a picture of a karyotype of a human's chromosomes. What information can you gain from the karyotype that can help explain why an individual having trisomy 13 (Patau's syndrome) has more health issues and a very limited life span compared to someone with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)?
A. Chromosome 13 is larger than chromosome 21and has more genes that will be affected.
B. The copy found on chromosome 13 must be related to aging. Having more copies of these genes will cause an individual to have a shorter life span.
C. Chromosome 13 has genes that are more important to the functioning of the body than those on chromosome 21.
D. The genes located on chromosome 13 are all recessive and are more likely to cause disease.
A. Chromosome 13 is larger than chromosome 21 and has more genes that will be affected.
This is the correct answer because trisomy 13 (Patau's syndrome) involves having an extra copy of chromosome 13, which means that there are more genes being affected compared to trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), which involves an extra copy of chromosome 21. The extra genetic material in trisomy 13 can lead to more health issues and a shorter life span compared to trisomy 21.