If Mendel had studied the seven traits using a plant with 12 chromosomes instead of 14, in what way would his interpretation have been different?
Correct answer: A. He would not have discovered the law of independent assortment
- A. He would not have discovered the law of independent assortment
- B. He would have discovered sex linkage
- C. He could have mapped the chromosome
- D. He would have discovered blending or incomplete dominance
Explanation
The law of independent assortment states that alleles of different genes assort independently of one another during gamete formation. Mendel's discovery of this law was possible because the traits he studied were controlled by genes on different chromosomes. If the plant had 12 chromosomes instead of 14, some genes might have been located on the same chromosome, leading to genetic linkage. This linkage would have caused certain traits to be inherited together, preventing the independent assortment Mendel observed. Consequently, he would not have formulated the law of independent assortment. Option A is correct because fewer chromosomes would result in gene linkage, altering Mendel's conclusions. Option B is incorrect because sex linkage is not related to chromosome number. Option C is incorrect because chromosome mapping was not within the scope of Mendel's research. Option D is incorrect because blending or incomplete dominance is a different genetic concept, not affected by chromosome number.
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About Inheritance
Mendel's laws explain segregation, independent assortment and the prediction of genetic ratios using alleles, genotypes and phenotypes. The chapter also covers linked genes, recombination and crossing over during meiosis, then applies pedigree reasoning to X-linked recessive traits, which show different inheritance patterns in males and females.
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