• Question: when a sequential hermaphrodite changes sex, do its chromosomes change?

    Asked by dumhead456 to Hermine, Katy, Laura, Nathalie, Paula on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Nathalie Pettorelli

      Nathalie Pettorelli answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Hi there again,

      Nope, it doesn’t – the expressions of the genes do change however, but their DNA stays the same 😉

    • Photo: Paula Salgado

      Paula Salgado answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Sequential hermaphrodites have the possibility to have either male or female sex organs and characteristics. This means that their chromosomes, that is their DNA, contain the information to both set of characteristics.

      When they change from male to female (or the other way around), what happens is that only one part of that information is active. Something in the environment or set of conditions triggers signals within the cells to stop using one part of the information in their DNA and start using the other.

      So, short answer is their chromosomes don’t change, it’s the way that the information in their chromosomes is used that changes.

      Imagine that you have two hard disks on your computer: one has Windows 7, the other Windows Vista. You’ve been working with Windows 7 all the time, but then you decide to try and use Windows Vista, so you change from one disk to the other. The info of Windows 7 is still there, it hasn’t change, it’s just that you started using the info on the other side.

      Hope that helps making it clear! 😉

    • Photo: Laura Dixon

      Laura Dixon answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Good question. I would guess that the animal already has chromosomes/genes to make it male and female but depending on the situation, the male genes are ‘turned on’ and female off then when switching sex, the reverse happens. But I honestly don’t know for sure 🙂

    • Photo: Katy Mee

      Katy Mee answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      No idea but i’m hoping the others have given you a decent answer!

    • Photo: Hermine Schnetler

      Hermine Schnetler answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      No I don’t believe they change, I think they are always there just one set is inactive.

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