Chromosome

In the nucleus of each cell, the DNA molecule is packaged into thread-like structures called chromosomes. Each chromosome is made up of DNA tightly coiled many times around proteins called histones that support its structure.

What is a Chromosome?

Chromosomes are the basic building blocks of life where the entire genome of an organism is essentially organized and stored in the form of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) which is present inside every cell making up that organism. A chromosome is a single chain of DNA that is coiled and super coiled to form dense thread-like pieces. The term chromosome is derived from the Greek words "chroma" or color and "some" or body and is so named because chromosomes have the ability to be stained with dyes.

What is Chromosome 3?

Chromosomes in Eukaryotes

Chromosome Karyotype

Chromosomal Abnormalities

What is the X Chromosome?

What is Chromosome 1?

What is Chromosome 2?

What is Chromosome 4?

Common Chromosomal Disorders (Chromosomes 1-5 and X and Y)

What is Chromosome 5?

Human Chromosomes

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Chromosomes in Prokaryotes

Chromosome History

What is the Y Chromosome?

Latest Chromosome News and Research

Next-gen sequencing reveals the regulatory potential of the non-coding genome

The non-coding genome, once dismissed as "junk DNA", is now recognized as a fundamental regulator of gene expression and a key player in understanding complex diseases. Following the landmark achievements of the Human Genome Project (HGP), scientists have increasingly focused on deciphering the non-coding regions of the human genome, which comprise approximately 98% of the genetic material.

23 Aug 2025

Study reveals genome rewiring mechanism driving mantle cell lymphoma

Translocations are chromosomal "cut and paste" errors that drive many lymphomas, a type of blood cancer and the sixth most common form of cancer overall.

21 Aug 2025

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

Discover how cohesin mechanics and nanotracker technology are transforming DNA research in this Bruker webinar.

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 19 Aug 2025

Researchers uncover a novel way platelets can suppress inflammation

Platelets are probably best known for their role in blood clotting, making scabs and related, if less salubrious, contributions to heart attacks and strokes. But these tiny, saucer-shaped blood cells have other physiological duties as well, including surveillance for viral or bacterial infections, the recruitment of immune cells to the site of a suspected incursion, and even the direct destruction of pathogens.

18 Aug 2025

Origin-recognition complex plays a broad role in the regulation of gene expression

Origin-recognition complex, or ORC, plays an unexpectedly broad role in the regulation of human cell gene expression, according to a study in the journal Cell Reports.

14 Aug 2025

Understanding sex-based differences in immune system function

Many diseases affect men and women differently. Asthma tends to strike men earlier in life, yet more women develop asthma as they get older.

7 Aug 2025

Researchers uncover dozens of traits driven by maternal versus paternal genes

Researchers developed a high-accuracy method to infer whether genetic variants come from the mother or father without needing parental genomes, analysing 286,666 UK Biobank participants. They uncovered over 30 parent-of-origin effects on traits from growth and metabolism to diabetes, many showing opposite effects depending on parental source.

7 Aug 2025

Scientists map the genes behind diet and dementia risk

Researchers established a high-quality genetic dataset from the MIND diet trial, enabling new studies of gene–diet interactions in cognitive health. This resource allows deeper investigation into why individuals respond differently to dietary interventions targeting dementia risk.

6 Aug 2025

Gfi1 regulates exhausted CD8+ T cells to improve cancer immunotherapy

Killer immune cells destroy cancer cells and cells infected by virus. These CD8+ T cells are activated after detection of viral infection or growth of "non-self" tumor cells.

5 Aug 2025

Scientists reveal how rare gene mutations drive schizophrenia risk

Researchers analyzed the largest exome-sequencing dataset to date and identified new rare coding variants and genes linked to schizophrenia risk. The study highlights converging genetic pathways, implicating chromatin organization and GABAergic signaling in schizophrenia neurobiology.

4 Aug 2025

Programmable Chromosome Engineering systems enable precise DNA manipulations

A team of Chinese researchers led by Prof. GAO Caixia from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed two new genome editing technologies, known collectively as Programmable Chromosome Engineering (PCE) systems.

4 Aug 2025

$5.5 million federal grant funds research to improve measurement of FXTAS treatments

UC Davis Health Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences David Hessl will help lead a major research project to develop better ways to measure treatments for fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS).

31 Jul 2025

Reactivating silent genes offers hope for Rett syndrome treatment

Researchers led by UC Davis Health scientist Sanchita Bhatnagar have developed a promising gene therapy that could treat Rett syndrome.

23 Jul 2025

Study identifies SDR42E1's role in vitamin D pathway

Vitamin D is not only an essential nutrient, but also the precursor of the hormone calcitriol, indispensable for health: it regulates the uptake of phosphate and calcium necessary for bones by the intestines, as well as cell growth and the proper function of muscles, nerve cells, and the immune system.

18 Jul 2025

NIST releases first publicly consented pancreatic cancer genome data

In an effort to foster progress in cancer research, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is releasing detailed and comprehensive data about the entire genetic content of a pancreatic cancer cell.

16 Jul 2025

Van Andel Institute scientists develop improved technique to profile DNA methylation in single cells

Van Andel Institute scientists have developed an improved technique to comprehensively profile DNA methylation in single cells, an advance that will help researchers better study the role of epigenetics in cancer and other diseases.

16 Jul 2025

Genetic links between type 2 diabetes and subcortical brain structure revealed

Recently, the team led by Chief Physician Quan Zhang and Associate Professor Feng Liu at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital systematically evaluated the genetic associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus and subcortical brain structures using large-scale genome-wide association summary statistics and advanced statistical genetic methods.

11 Jul 2025

Psilocybin may have potential to revolutionize anti-aging therapies

As revenues from the anti-aging market-- riddled with hope and thousands of supplements–– surged past $500 million last year, Emory University researchers identified a compound that actively delays aging in cells and organisms.

9 Jul 2025

Novel tool offers a glimpse into the black box of ALT in aggressive cancers

Each time a cell divides, a small section of each chromosome's protective cap - the telomere - is worn away. Most cells use an enzyme called telomerase to help mitigate this loss, but 10% to 15% of cancers have another mechanism called the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway.

4 Jul 2025

Breakthrough AI uncovers promising Rett syndrome treatment

Rett syndrome is a devastating rare genetic childhood disorder primarily affecting girls. Merely 1 out of 10,000 girls are born with it and much fewer boys.

2 Jul 2025