Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Secondary Integrated Science Practice test

What does it mean for alleles to sort independently during meiosis?

1. Alleles do not affect the inheritance of each other

2. Only dominant alleles are inherited

3. Recessive genes are always expressed

4. Genes influence each other's expression

The correct answer is: Alleles do not affect the inheritance of each other

When alleles sort independently during meiosis, it refers to the principle of independent assortment, which is one of the key concepts in genetics. This principle states that the segregation of one pair of alleles during the formation of gametes occurs independently of the segregation of another pair of alleles. This means that the inheritance of one trait does not influence the inheritance of another trait. As a result, different traits are inherited independently from one another. For instance, if we consider two traits, such as flower color and plant height, the allele for flower color can assort without regard to the allele for plant height. Therefore, the combinations of traits in offspring can vary widely. The other options describe scenarios that do not relate to the independent assortment of alleles. The inheritance patterns described in the other choices, such as only dominant alleles being inherited or recessive genes always being expressed, do not align with the principle of independent assortment, as this principle focuses specifically on the independent inheritance of multiple genes rather than the dominance relationships or expression patterns of alleles.