Purportedly, that fusion happened in the distant past, approximately 500,000 years ago. By what mechanism it happened is up for debate. I have an inkling of what it might be, but I'm not prepared to discuss it here.
IIRC horses and cattle also have 2 fused chromosomes. They seem to be very significant domesticated species. Could that be a coincidence? After 8 generations, mutations will be selected out by nature and the population will revert to wild type. Unless two chromosomes are fused, then they can't mate with individuals with original DNA and the mutations remain.
Purportedly, that fusion happened in the distant past, approximately 500,000 years ago. By what mechanism it happened is up for debate. I have an inkling of what it might be, but I'm not prepared to discuss it here.
Yeah, it makes you wonder who else might have screwed around with CRISPR technology...
IIRC horses and cattle also have 2 fused chromosomes. They seem to be very significant domesticated species. Could that be a coincidence? After 8 generations, mutations will be selected out by nature and the population will revert to wild type. Unless two chromosomes are fused, then they can't mate with individuals with original DNA and the mutations remain.