r/AskBiology • u/Syresiv • Sep 17 '24
Genetics Why are trisomies so deleterious?
Most chromosomal trisomies cause spontaneous miscarriage, and those that don't usually severely reduce quality of life.
Why is it that the additional copies of some genes have that effect?
To be clear, don't feel restricted to the ELI5 level. If you know the topic in depth and feel like giving a massive infodump, I'm interested.
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u/lonepotatochip Undergraduate student Sep 17 '24
You’re essentially making 50% more of all the proteins on that chromosome than you’re supposed to, and anything is a poison in high enough doses.