i have homework due tomorrow and one of the ?s is , "what is the opposite of chromosome?" i have looked ALL OVER and i cannot find it!!! Plz help me out!!!
2006-08-23 13:30:01 · 8 answers · asked by Aubrey 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
I am an MD. The word "chromosome" if translated from the Greek means "color body" or "colored body" . The opposite of "colored" is "colorless" or perhaps "transparent" or maybe "white". Maybe they are referring to "cytosol" which is the part of the cell that is usually clear or colorless. I think it is a dumb question.
2006-08-23 14:12:39 · answer #1 · answered by Sciencenut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
gosh, there is no opposite of chromosome. Its a noun. It's like asking what is the opposite of car or house. Even though it is microscopically teensy, does not lessen the fact that it is an object. The opposite of chromosome philosophically would be "no living matter": no humans, plants, animals, bacteria, trees, viruses, etc. Without chromosomes there would be no life. Chromosomes are what make a tree a tree and a bird a bird. So I guess what your teacher was probably really asking is what would the outcome be if there were no chromosomes. There would be no life forms. Write "a complete and total lack of any and all life forms". You'll get an A for sure. Your teacher did not want you to look up the answer, instead wanted you to think about what the opposite of chromosome would mean. To understand this you would have to understand what chromosomes are and know that life does not exist without them.
2006-08-23 21:03:16 · answer #2 · answered by gmpranis1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://biology.caltech.edu/contact/Members/Deshaies
look at that page. either your teacher is really dumb, or she's really smart. I am a biology graduate, and that ? made me think. a chromosome technically is the genome of the organism, but she may have meant the condensed version during mitosis. That's the X-shaped things. the dna is relaxed and invisible while the cell is in interphase (not dividing, just being a cell and doing what it does). Then when it's time to replicate, it coils up around histone protiens and forms the visible chromosome, or chromatids. But the true answer to that question would be the abscense of any genetic material, like a rock or some dirt, or some air. I'm curious what your teacher means, could you email me the actual question she asked you at dgb3351@yahoo.com?
2006-08-24 01:01:16 · answer #3 · answered by achshah!!!!! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah, i'm with everyone else, there is no true opposite to "chromosome". And depending on what the context of the intended question is, there can be several responses that would sort of make sense. You could say "sister chromatid" because that is one half of a whole chromosome. You could say "homologue" because each chromosome has an identical homologue that during metaphase of meiosis lines up opposite it on the metaphase plate. You could also say "chromatin" because chromatin is DNA that has not yet condensed to form the chromosome...any of these answers could technically work since there is no true opposite.
If i were you, i would go with the "homologue" answer I previously mentioned. It sounds the best and makes the most sense...
it is a stupid question though...
2006-08-23 22:23:34 · answer #4 · answered by Mandy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the question is asking what is the opposite of a Y chromosome which is X, or vice versa... If that is not the question you need more info..
2006-08-27 16:20:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
there is no opposite for chromosomes, its either a no answere question or you missing some other info.
2006-08-23 20:59:25 · answer #6 · answered by frk 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the letter x or y is missing from that sentence
2006-08-23 20:39:12 · answer #7 · answered by IAskUAnswer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
umm.... that seems like a dumb question.
2006-08-23 20:35:52 · answer #8 · answered by Just Gone 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋