Explain Mendels law of segregation and its relationship to m

Explain Mendel\'s law of segregation and its relationship to meiosis.

Solution

Answer:

Meiosis I is responsible for genetic variation because it is the process that separates allele pairs (by independent assortment).

Independent assortment refers to the random separation of chromosomes, which means that either chromosome of a homologous pair may combine with either chromosome of another homologous pair. Independent assortment can result in F2 offspring with combinations of alleles that differ from their parents are called recombinants.

Mendel developed his Law of Independent Assortment after performing a dihybrid cross with true-breeding parents (YYRR and yyrr). All the F1 offspring had yellow and round seeds (YyRr). When Mendel crossed the F1 offspring he found that on average:

9/16 of the F2 offspring had yellow and round seeds
3/16 had green and round seeds
3/16 had yellow and wrinkled seeds, and
1/16 had green and wrinkled seeds.

This outcome matches with the expected outcome that can be produced using a Punnet square. The mechanism of homologous chromosome separation during meiosis I explains his law of segregation.