What are homologous chromosomes?
Q: What are homologous chromosomes?
A: Homologous chromosomes are pairs of chromosomes in a diploid organism that have the same gene loci in the same positions on each chromosome, except for the sex chromosomes.
Q: What happens during meiosis with homologous chromosomes?
A: During meiosis, homologous chromosomes physically pair up and crossing over takes place between chromatids of each pair. This results in an exchange of alleles, increasing the genetic variation in the population.
Q: Are homologous chromosomes genetically identical?
A: No, homologous chromosomes are not genetically identical because they usually have different alleles at some of the loci.
Q: What is the most important fact about homologous chromosomes in meiosis?
A: The most important fact about homologous chromosomes is that they physically pair up for meiosis, resulting in an exchange of alleles and increased genetic variation in the population.
Q: What are sex chromosomes and how do they pair up?
A: Sex chromosomes are the chromosomes that determine the sex of an organism. They only pair up along those parts where there is similar genetic material (loci) on both members of the pair.
Q: What is crossing over and how does it affect genetic variation?
A: Crossing over is the exchange of alleles that occurs between chromatids of homologous chromosomes during meiosis. It increases genetic variation in the population by producing offspring that are not identical to each other, or to either parent.
Q: Why are homologous chromosomes important in meiosis?
A: Homologous chromosomes are important in meiosis because they physically pair up and undergo crossing over, resulting in increased genetic variation in the population.
