How Genetics Works: A Fun Explanation!

What genetic concept is illustrated by a brown-eyed man having alleles for both brown and blue eyes?

A: Mendel's law of segregation

B: Fertilization

C: Mendel's law of independent segregation

D: Mendel's law of independent assortment

E: Mutation

Answer:

The brown-eyed man's genetic scenario demonstrates Mendel's law of segregation.

Explanation: The situation of a brown-eyed man with alleles for both brown and blue eyes, and the fact that his sperm carries both alleles, illustrates Mendel's law of segregation. This law explains how gene variants (alleles) separate and ensure equal likelihood of offspring inheriting either allele.

Mendel's law of segregation was proposed by Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, after his studies on pea plants. It states that paired unit factors (genes) must segregate equally into gametes, such as sperm cells, during the process of inheritance.

During the first division of meiosis, the alleles for a gene pair like eye color segregate into different gametes. Each gamete then carries only one allele of each gene, ensuring that offspring have an equal chance of inheriting either gene variant (allele).

Understanding Mendel's law of segregation helps us comprehend how genetic traits are passed down from parents to offspring. It's a fundamental concept in genetics that explains the inheritance patterns of various traits.