a simple dna question.

[wkeyes]

What's the advantage of having more than one chromosome to house genetic information? An answer would be great, a link would be better.

[MrMistery]

Well, bacteria can fit all their DNA into one single chromosome, but as the DNA molecule gets a lot bigger, you need to fragment it for stability. I may be wrong, i am not sure...
regards

[mith]

I'll agree with that, DNA is wrapped around histone proteins kinda like threads in spools to prevent tangling and easy unravelling.

[MrMistery]

However it is not yet understood why some species put their DNA in 2 chromosoms, other 8, 46, etc. I think the record is 1200 and something at a plant called Snake's tongue. I can't remember the actual name of it(memory freeze). What i mean is that there is no standard number of genes/chromosome

[cancer killer]

A living organism has roughly 5 feet or 1.5 meters of compacted DNA within it's nucleus!! To contain the DNA within the nucleus of a cell, the genetic information is wound up into Chromosomes.

[NiamhC]

Bacteria can reproduce by budding or 'cloning' so can get away with one chromosome, but the more complicated organisms need more than one chromosome.
humans use 46 chromosomes (i think thats the right number), grouped into pairs. then when we reproduce we have cells called gametes which have half the number of chromosomes(23) and two of these combine to form a new cell with the correct number of chromosomes. we have too much genetic information to be held on a single pair and also having pairs of chromosomes leads to greater diversity within a species and the ability to evolve certain features. 'natural selection' etc...

[lara]

2 reduce the effect of undesirable mutations and evade cancer probably!
a guess,OK!