How did chromosomes evolve?

Answer 1

Good question!

One possible answer lies in some of the benefits that chromosomes have as opposed to genetic sequences that just float around separately. Linked sequences of genes would have had a higher copying fidelity, and there would be a greater certainty that the daughter cell receives, upon cell division, a complete complement of genes necessary for survival. So a tendency for genes (distinct genetic sequences) to link together and form complexes would, under the right circumstances, be favoured. The same pressures may subsequently have lead to the development of telomeric sequences and the distinctive chromatid form.

Answer 2

Your chromosomes PROTECT your DNA! If there weren't any chromosomes, then the DNA would just be floating around your body, so could be affected by things like UV rays, and change your DNA! NOT GOOD!

Answer 3

Chromosomes are thought to have evolved from simpler structures over billions of years. They likely originated from ancestral genetic elements like plasmids or transposons, which were then incorporated into the genome and became specialized for carrying and organizing genetic information. The evolution of chromosomes played a crucial role in the development of complex organisms by enabling more efficient genetic regulation and inheritance.

Answer 4

That is one of the greatest mysteries of of all time. Nobody knows for sure. There are various theories, but not one has been substantiated.