Question

Describe the events that occur during meiosis that are defined by Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment. Explain how these events increase the genetic variation within a population.

Answer 1

Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment correlate with events in meiosis, increasing genetic variation due to the separation of alleles and the random assortment of chromosomes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mendel's law of segregation states that during the formation of gametes (eggs and sperm), the two alleles for each trait segregate, or separate. This reflects the events of meiosis, specifically during anaphase I, where homologous chromosomes (and thus different alleles) are pulled to opposite poles of the cell.

Mendel's law of independent assortment explains that genes for different traits sort independently of one another into gametes. This is due to the random orientation of chromosome pairs during metaphase I of meiosis, which results in the formation of genetically unique gametes. Consequently, when fertilization occurs, the combination of alleles from each parent leads to increased genetic variation within a population.

Genetic variation is further enhanced by the process of crossing-over, which occurs during prophase I of meiosis. This process involves the exchange of chromosome segments between homologous chromosomes, creating new combinations of genes that are not found in either parent.

Answer 2

Mendel's Laws are a set of basic rules on the inheritance of characteristics from parent organisms to their children. They are considered rules rather than laws, since they are not fulfilled in all cases. Mendel's first Law of equitable segregation establishes that during the formation of the gametes each allele of a pair is separated from the other member to determine the genetic constitution of the filial gamete, the two alleles, which code for each characteristic, are segregated during the production of gametes through meiotic cell division. This means that each gamete will contain only one allele for each gene. This allows the maternal and paternal alleles to combine in the offspring, ensuring genetic variation. For each characteristic, an organism inherits two alleles, one for each relative. This means that in somatic cells, one allele comes from the mother and one from the father.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mendel's laws reflect chromosomal behavior during meiosis: the first law responds to the random migration of homologous chromosomes to opposite poles during anaphase I of meiosis (both alleles and homologous chromosomes segregate equally or 1: 1 in gametes) and the second law, to the random alignment of each pair of homologous chromosomes during metaphase I of meiosis (whereby different genes and different pairs of homologous chromosomes segregate independently).Even though not all genes are inherited in the proportions described by Mendel, they are undoubtedly all inherited in the same way, that is, the alleles or different alternatives of a gene are separated in meiosis and each gamete will carry only 1 of them (2nd Mendel's Law) and in turn all genes on different pairs of chromosomes are transmitted independently. This allows the maternal and paternal alleles to combine in the offspring, ensuring genetic variation.Therefore, of each possible genotype for a two three or more genotypes it is possible to know how many gametes it will form, in what proportions and therefore predict results of crosses.