I don’t know anything about chromosomes and google is further complicating it for me. I’ve always looked quite different from my peers and I wondered if there was something mixed in with me that would cause that, it turns out I have Scandinavian. In the chromosome breakdown part of the results it says that the Scandinavian is in chromosomes 12 and 21. Can anyone explain to me what this MEANS. Would that affect my physical appearance? Like my facial features? If not, what does it mean?
In: 14
Every single human has their sum total of genetic material, their genome, divided across 23 different chromosomes (and then two of each, one maternal and one paternal). Those chromosomes are structured the same way between each and every one of us, barring weird mishaps here and there.
For instance, some given gene may be located on chromosome 12. If it turns out some part of that gene carries a particular mutation in the vast majority of *people of confirmed longtime Scandinavian descent*, you can now go test other people’s genomes, and if they have that same mutation, they likely have some Scandinavian ancestry.
>Can anyone explain to me what this MEANS. Would that affect my physical appearance? Like my facial features? If not, what does it mean?
Nothing like this can be inferred just from knowing the mutation (polymorphism) that they looked at is located on chromosome 12. Knowing the particular gene it is located in would be a first step. If that is given, then you still need to know what that gene encodes, and what the encoded protein does. And going from protein function to “what this means for you as a person” is totally different can of worms, too.
Latest Answers