Final answer:
Loss of bicoid function in the egg leads to lethality during embryogenesis. However, females homozygous for bicoid can still be produced through parthenogenesis, where unfertilized eggs develop into new female offspring. The offspring produced through parthenogenesis may not be identical to their parent, but they still have only maternal chromosomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In fruit flies, the bicoid gene is responsible for anterior-posterior patterning during embryogenesis. Loss of bicoid function in the egg leads to lethality during embryogenesis, as the embryo fails to develop a head and anterior structures. However, females homozygous for bicoid can still be produced through a process called parthenogenesis, where progeny develop from unfertilized eggs. In parthenogenesis, only females produce offspring, and unfertilized eggs develop into new female offspring. This happens because of the nutrients stored in the eggs. The offspring produced through parthenogenesis may not be identical to their parent, but they still have only maternal chromosomes.