Eukaryotic Chromosome Structure

C-Value Paradox

C value - the amount of DNA per haploid cell (usually expressed as picograms) or the number of kilobases per haploid cell

Confusing Facts

1. Eukaryotic organisms appear to have 2-10 times as many genes as prokaryotes,
2. But, they have many orders of magnitude more DNA in the cell.
3. Furthermore, the amount of DNA per genome is correlated not with the presumed evolutionary complexity of a species
4. The amount of DNA is not correlated with the number of chromosomes

C value paradox - the amount of DNA in the haploid cell of an organism is not related to its evolutionary complexity.