Which statement best captures the Law of Independent Assortment?

Which statement best captures the Law of Independent Assortment?

• A. Alleles at different loci separate independently into gametes
• B. Alleles at different loci always stay together
• C. Linked genes never recombine
• D. Genes on the same chromosome are always inherited as a block

Answer: (A)

Alleles at different loci separate independently into gametes. This means that during meiosis the alleles for one gene segregate into gametes without being linked to the alleles for another gene, so all combinations of those alleles can form. When the genes are on different chromosomes (or far apart on the same chromosome), the sorting of one gene’s allele is effectively independent of the sorting of the other, producing a variety of allele combinations in offspring. This is why you can get recombinant gametes and why linked genes aren’t forever inherited together: crossing over during meiosis can shuffle alleles that are on the same chromosome, so genes aren’t always inherited as a single block. In contrast, statements that claim alleles stay together or never recombine don’t reflect what happens during meiosis and variation generation.

Alleles at different loci separate independently into gametes. This means that during meiosis the alleles for one gene segregate into gametes without being linked to the alleles for another gene, so all combinations of those alleles can form. When the genes are on different chromosomes (or far apart on the same chromosome), the sorting of one gene’s allele is effectively independent of the sorting of the other, producing a variety of allele combinations in offspring.

This is why you can get recombinant gametes and why linked genes aren’t forever inherited together: crossing over during meiosis can shuffle alleles that are on the same chromosome, so genes aren’t always inherited as a single block. In contrast, statements that claim alleles stay together or never recombine don’t reflect what happens during meiosis and variation generation.