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No, it is entirely possible. Entire chromosomes could modified, as by methylation, and the transcription machinery could switch between the two at the appropria
by Daniel_Newby 14y ago
No, it is entirely possible. Entire chromosomes could modified, as by methylation, and the transcription machinery could switch between the two at the appropriate developmental stage.
What it is is (1) extremely unlikely, and (2) easily checked by looking at the DNA sequence of any insect that metamorphoses.
- charonn0 14y agoThe only somewhat similar thing I can think of would be mitochondria, but even mitochondria retain their own unique DNA outside of the nucleus.
- rcthompson 14y agoTrue, mitochondria contain functional DNA, but the majority of mitochondrial genes have migrated to the eukaryotic nucleus. The transcripts are transcribed in the nucleous, translated in the cytosol, and the protein products are translocated into the mitochondria. There's not necessarily anything preventing the remainder of the mitochondrial genome from making the same transition, although perhaps the mitochondrion would still require a "placeholder" chromosome because its cycle of reproduction is tied in with replication of that chromosome as it is in bacteria.