What is the Reason That Linked Genes are Inherited Together

Question

What is the reason that linked genes are inherited together?
A) They are located close together on the same chromosome.
B) The number of genes in a cell is greater than the number of chromosomes.
C) Chromosomes are unbreakable.
D) Alleles are paired together during meiosis.
E) Genes align that way during metaphase I of meiosis.

Accepted Answer

Linked genes are inherited together because they are located close together on the same chromosome, which means that they are physically connected and tend to be transmitted as a unit during meiosis. The closer the genes are to each other on the chromosome, the less likely they are to be separated by crossing-over events during meiosis. As a result, the inheritance of linked genes can deviate from the principles of independent assortment, which assumes that genes on different chromosomes are transmitted independently of each other.