When Does the Segregation of Alleles Occur

Question

When does the segregation of alleles occur?
A) Homologous chromosomes separate during meiosis.
B) Homologous chromosomes separate during mitosis.
C) Sister chromatids separate during meiosis.
D) Sister chromatids separate during mitosis.

Accepted Answer

The segregation of alleles occurs when homologous chromosomes separate during meiosis. This is because homologous chromosomes contain different versions of a gene (alleles) and separating them during meiosis ensures that each gamete receives only one allele for each gene. Sister chromatids also separate during meiosis, but this does not result in the segregation of alleles as sister chromatids are identical copies of each other. Mitosis does not involve homologous chromosome pairs, so it cannot result in the segregation of alleles.