In: Biology
Even if no recombination occurs, meiosis is an important source of genetic variation in sexually reproducing organisms. Excluding recombination, identify the key events in meiosis that result in segregation and independent assortment and how these two mechanisms produce genetic variation in the next generation. Use the following terms in your response: genes; alleles; homologous chromosomes; non-homologous chromosomes. (Drawings are encouraged.)
Meiosis generates a genetic
variation by two mechanisms.
1. Independent assortment of chromosomes during Anaphase-I
2. Crossing over between non-sister chromatids of the homologous
pair of chromosomes
During meiotic prophase-I,
homologous chromosomes pair with each other.
A homologous pair of chromosomes = Tetrad = Bivalent
Sister chromatids = Chromatids that are identical in their sequence
and attached at the same centromere
Non-sister chromatids = Chromatids that are similar in their
sequence and attached to different centromeres
Homologous chromosomes = A pair of
chromosomes which are similar in their sequence, gene order, size,
and centromere location.
Non-homologous chromosomes = A pair of chromosomes which are not
similar in their sequence.
Homologous chromosomes contain alleles for same genes.
During meiotic anaphase-I,
homologous chromosomes are separated from each other i.e.
chromosomes belonging to the homologous pair are separated and
migrate towards opposite poles.
For example, there are 22 pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of
allosomes in humans.
Each individual is diploid.
Male: One (Paternal) set = (1F, 2F,---22F, and Y); Second
(Maternal) set= (1M, 2M,---22M, and X);
Female: One (Paternal) set = (1F, 2F,---22F, and X); Second
(Maternal) set= (1M, 2M,---22M, and X);
1F and 1M are homologous pair of chromosomes.
During anaphase-I, One set of
chromosomes (23 chromosomes) migrate towards one pole and the other
set migrates to the opposite pole.
A single set includes any combination of maternal and paternal
chromosomes. It is not that paternal set enters into one gamete and
maternal set enters into the other.