Question

karyotypes can be studied to determine an organism’s chromosomal makeup and to detect genetic defects. patau syndrome occurs when an individual has an extra copy of chromosome 13, giving them three copies. symptoms of patau syndrome include extra digits, seizures, and cleft palate. which word would geneticists use to describe the cause of patau syndrome?

• diploidy
• homologous
• heterozygous
• trisomy

Explanation:

• Diploidy refers to having two complete sets of chromosomes, which is normal for most body cells, so it does not describe the extra chromosome in Patau syndrome.
• Homologous refers to chromosomes that carry the same genes (one from each parent), which is unrelated to an extra chromosome copy.
• Heterozygous refers to having two different alleles for a gene, not a chromosomal copy number abnormality.
• Trisomy specifically means having three copies of a single chromosome, which matches the cause of Patau syndrome (an extra copy of chromosome 13).

Answer:

trisomy