Final answer:
During meiosis, homologous recombination or crossing over can sometimes unlink genes on the same chromosome, which occurs in Prophase I, increasing genetic diversity among the gametes.
Step-by-step explanation:
During meiosis, the process that can sometimes unlink genes is known as crossing over or homologous recombination. This occurs during Prophase I of meiosis I, where homologous chromosomes pair and exchange segments of their non-sister chromatids. This recombination can lead to genes that were previously linked on a chromosome to become unlinked, increasing genetic diversity. The degree of unlinking depends on the distance between genes on the chromosome; the farther apart the genes are, the more likely it is that crossover will occur between them. Thomas Morgan's famous fruit fly studies estimated frequencies to help determine the physical distance between genes on a chromosome, reflecting crossover likelihood.
Recapping the genetic consequences of meiosis I, the random assortment of homologous chromosomes during Metaphase I, combined with crossover events, results in gametes with genetically unique combinations of maternal and paternal chromosomes.