What does it mean for a gene to be linked?

What does it mean for a gene to be linked?

• A. It is located on the same chromosome as another gene
• B. It is always inherited independently of all other genes
• C. It cannot occur with crossing over
• D. It is located on the Y chromosome

Answer: (A)

Linked genes are located on the same chromosome, so they tend to be inherited together because they’re physically close and usually pass through meiosis as a unit. Crossing over can separate them, but it happens less often when they’re close, making their parental combinations more common in offspring. That idea—being on the same chromosome—captures what linkage means. The other statements misstate the concept: some linked genes are not inherited independently, crossing over can occur between linked genes, and being on the Y chromosome isn’t a defining feature of linkage.

Linked genes are located on the same chromosome, so they tend to be inherited together because they’re physically close and usually pass through meiosis as a unit. Crossing over can separate them, but it happens less often when they’re close, making their parental combinations more common in offspring. That idea—being on the same chromosome—captures what linkage means. The other statements misstate the concept: some linked genes are not inherited independently, crossing over can occur between linked genes, and being on the Y chromosome isn’t a defining feature of linkage.