Question

Which of the following is a true statement about crossing over and independent assortment during meiosis?

A) Independent assortment increases genetic variation while crossing over increases the amount of DNA passed on.
B) Crossing over is a random process while independent assortment is a predictable process.
C) Independent assortment is a process of mitosis and crossing over is a process in meiosis.
D) Both processes contribute to the genetic variation of daughter cells that are produced during meiosis.

Answer 1

Option D is correct because both crossing over and independent assortment contribute to the genetic variation in daughter cells produced during meiosis, with crossing over creating unique combinations of alleles and independent assortment resulting in a random mixture of maternal and paternal chromosomes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the options provided regarding crossing over and independent assortment during meiosis, option D is a true statement. Both processes contribute to the genetic variation of daughter cells produced during meiosis. Crossing over is the process where homologous chromosomes exchange DNA segments, thereby increasing genetic diversity. This exchange produces recombinant chromosomes, leading to daughter cells that have a unique combination of alleles different from their parents. Independent assortment, on the other hand, results from the random orientation of chromosome pairs during meiosis I, in that genes on different chromosomes are distributed into gametes independently. This phenomenon is aligned with Mendel's law of independent assortment, which furthers genetic variability as each gamete receives a random mixture of maternal and paternal chromosomes.