Which statement about gene linkage is true?

Which statement about gene linkage is true?

• A. True, because genes on the same chromosome can be inherited together
• B. False, because genes on the same chromosome always assort independently
• C. True, but only for genes on different chromosomes
• D. False, because linkage never occurs

Answer: (A)

Gene linkage is about how genes that sit close to each other on the same chromosome tend to be passed on together when offspring inherit chromosomes. This happens because during meiosis the entire chromosome segment is inherited as a unit, so alleles that are linked on that chromosome are often transmitted as a group. They can still be separated by crossing over, especially if the genes are farther apart, which is why recombination can create new allele combinations, but parental combinations are observed more frequently when genes are linked. So the statement that genes on the same chromosome can be inherited together is true. Independent assortment applies more to genes on different chromosomes or genes far apart on the same chromosome where recombination breaks linkage, and linkage itself does occur for genes on the same chromosome.

Gene linkage is about how genes that sit close to each other on the same chromosome tend to be passed on together when offspring inherit chromosomes. This happens because during meiosis the entire chromosome segment is inherited as a unit, so alleles that are linked on that chromosome are often transmitted as a group. They can still be separated by crossing over, especially if the genes are farther apart, which is why recombination can create new allele combinations, but parental combinations are observed more frequently when genes are linked.

So the statement that genes on the same chromosome can be inherited together is true. Independent assortment applies more to genes on different chromosomes or genes far apart on the same chromosome where recombination breaks linkage, and linkage itself does occur for genes on the same chromosome.