What does Mendel's second law (Segregation) state?

What does Mendel's second law (Segregation) state?

• A. In gamete formation, the two alleles of a gene segregate (half of the gametes carry one allele, and the other half carry the other allele)
• B. The two alleles are always transmitted together as a unit
• C. when gametes are formed, the 2 alleles of a gene segregate (half of the gametes carry one allele, and the other half carry the other allele)
• D. Alleles on the same chromosome always stay linked

Answer: (C)

Segregation means alleles for a gene separate into different gametes during meiosis. For a heterozygote, this results in each gamete carrying one allele or the other with roughly equal probability—half the gametes carry one allele, half carry the other. This happens because homologous chromosomes separate during meiosis I, so the two alleles are transmitted independently into different gametes. This separation is why progeny inherit one allele from each parent and why 1:1 ratios are observed in appropriate crosses. Descriptions that alleles are transmitted together or that alleles on the same chromosome stay linked describe linkage, not segregation, and aren’t correct for Mendel’s second law.

Segregation means alleles for a gene separate into different gametes during meiosis. For a heterozygote, this results in each gamete carrying one allele or the other with roughly equal probability—half the gametes carry one allele, half carry the other. This happens because homologous chromosomes separate during meiosis I, so the two alleles are transmitted independently into different gametes. This separation is why progeny inherit one allele from each parent and why 1:1 ratios are observed in appropriate crosses. Descriptions that alleles are transmitted together or that alleles on the same chromosome stay linked describe linkage, not segregation, and aren’t correct for Mendel’s second law.