Mendelian sampling describes the origin of chromosome copies in gametes. On average, a gamete contains equal parts from sire and dam for each chromosome, but recombination adds more mix. What does Mendelian sampling refer to?

Mendelian sampling describes the origin of chromosome copies in gametes. On average, a gamete contains equal parts from sire and dam for each chromosome, but recombination adds more mix. What does Mendelian sampling refer to?

• A. The equal distribution of parental alleles among offspring.
• B. The random sampling of individuals in a population.
• C. The selection of the best offspring for breeding.
• D. The process where a gamete gets one copy of each chromosome from either sire or dam, averaging 1/2 from each, with recombination adding more mix.

Answer: (D)

Mendelian sampling is the random process by which a gamete ends up with one copy of each chromosome, chosen from the two parental versions for that chromosome. For every chromosome pair, the gamete inherits either the paternal or the maternal chromosome, so across many gametes the average contribution from sire and dam is about half each. But recombination during meiosis shuffles alleles along each chromosome, so the resulting haploid set in a gamete is a mosaic of both parents rather than a simple copy of one chromosome or the other. This combination of random chromosome-level segregation and intra-chromosome recombination creates the unique genetic makeup of each gamete and, consequently, each offspring.

Mendelian sampling is the random process by which a gamete ends up with one copy of each chromosome, chosen from the two parental versions for that chromosome. For every chromosome pair, the gamete inherits either the paternal or the maternal chromosome, so across many gametes the average contribution from sire and dam is about half each. But recombination during meiosis shuffles alleles along each chromosome, so the resulting haploid set in a gamete is a mosaic of both parents rather than a simple copy of one chromosome or the other. This combination of random chromosome-level segregation and intra-chromosome recombination creates the unique genetic makeup of each gamete and, consequently, each offspring.