https://reasonandscience.catsboard.com/t1707-chromosome-2-evidence-for-common-ancestry
chromosomal fusions happen to be fairly common - even within the same species. In fact, there are humans alive today that have chromosomal fusions - and surprise surprise, they're still human! - morphologically and functionally indistinguishable from other modern humans. Another example can be found with horses. Hybrids of the wild horse have 33 pairs while the domesticated horse has 32 chromosomal pairs. Also, domestic dogs and wolves of the genus canis have 78 chromosomes while foxes have a varied number from 38-78 chromosomes. Yet another example is the house mouse Mus Musculis, which has 40 chromosomes, while a population of mice form the Italian Alps was found to have only 22 chromosomes 1
Doubts about the cause of fusion 2
It is clear that chromosome fusion occurred. Yet, there is reason to challenge the evolutionary explanation. When chromosomes break, “sticky ends” result, which readily combine with other chromosomes that have also broken apart. Yet, while it is not unusual for chromosomes to fuse, they will almost never fuse with intact chromosomes because of telomeres. These structures, in addition to providing stability, are designed to prevent chromosomes from undergoing fusion with chromosome fragments.
For human chromosome 2 to arise, it would have required either telomere-telomere fusion (a highly unlikely event) or fusion of an intact chromosome at its telomere with a sticky end generated when another chromosome fractured near its telomere. This type of fusion can happen, but it is a rare occurrence. Fusion would also need to occur in one of the gametes (sperm and egg cells), thereby changing the number of chromosomes. When the sperm fertilizes the egg, if the chromosome numbers do not match, fertilization almost always results in either: (1) a nonviable zygote or embryo; (2) a viable offspring that suffers from a diseased state; or (3) a viable offspring that is infertile. Though possible, it is extremely rare for the offspring to be viable and fertile.
Evidence of genetic engineering
The highly unlikely nature of these events could be taken as evidence for the Creator’s role in engineering or designing the fusion. The Bible’s description of animal and human creation suggests a large degree of genetic similarity (which would include similarity of chromosomes) is to be expected between humans, hominids, and chimpanzees (and the other apes). We propose that the apparent fusion of two chimp chromosomes to produce human chromosome 2 offers a hint as to how the Creator worked. Perhaps God used a preexisting template that He reshaped to create the physical makeup of the hominids and human beings. And perhaps part of the reshaping activity involved fusing together two chromosomes to make human chromosome 2. After all, genetic engineers—who are made in God’s image—are capable of altering organisms by manipulating genetic material. Might not the Creator do the same? Could not God be thought of as a divine genetic engineer? If valid, we predict that in the future geneticists will find that the fused chromosome has functional importance.
1. http://www.detectingdesign.com/pseudogenes.html#Fusion
2. Who was Adam? : a creation model approach to the origin of man / Fazale Rana ; with Hugh Ross. -- Second expanded edition. page 251
Last edited by Admin on Mon Nov 12, 2018 4:06 pm; edited 5 times in total