Final answer:
The frequency of recombinant offspring varies with the distance between genes on a chromosome, with a higher frequency associated with greater distances. Genetic maps use recombination frequencies to reflect distances measured in centimorgans. The recombinant frequency can reach up to 50% for unlinked genes, but a predicted 60% frequency would likely be inaccurate or indicative of separate chromosomal locations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The frequency of recombinant offspring indeed depends on the distance between loci on a chromosome. When genes are closely linked, the predicted frequency of recombinants is low, as crossing over is less likely to occur between them. However, the recombination frequency increases with the distance apart, up to a maximum of 50%. This maximum corresponds to genes being on different chromosomes or very far apart on the same chromosome, where assort independent in a dihybrid cross as Mendel predicted.
Alfred Sturtevant used recombination frequencies to construct genetic maps, associating 1% recombination frequency with 1 centimorgan (cM) distance. Nevertheless, distances approaching a recombination frequency of 0.5 or greater indicate that genes could lie far apart on the same chromosome or on different chromosomes, which might lead to inaccuracies in determining their relative positions.
Finally, as genes further separate on a chromosome, the predicted frequency of recombinant offspring could approach 50%, but it should not exceed this value due to the probability of independent assortment, meaning a predicted 60% recombination rate could denote either inaccuracy in the measurement or that genes are located on separate chromosomes.