Why are males more often affected by sex-linked traits than females?
A) Male hormones such as testosterone often alter the effects of mutations on the X chromosome.
B) Female hormones such as estrogen often compensate for the effects of mutations on the X chromosome.
C) X chromosomes in males generally have more mutations than X chromosomes in females.
D) Males are hemizygous for the X chromosome.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Males only have one X chromosome (hemizygous), while females have two. This means that any mutations on the X chromosome in males will be fully expressed, as there is no second X chromosome to compensate for it, whereas females may have a second, functional copy of the gene on their other X chromosome to mask the effects of a mutation.

Why Are Males More Often Affected by Sex-Linked Traits Than