Which concept explains why two genes located close to each other on the same chromosome are often inherited together?

Which concept explains why two genes located close to each other on the same chromosome are often inherited together?

• A. Inheritance
• B. Gene linkage
• C. Mutation
• D. Transgenic

Answer: (B)

Gene linkage explains why two genes that sit near each other on the same chromosome tend to be passed on together. During meiosis, chromosomes can exchange segments in a process called crossing over. If the two genes are close, the chance that a crossover occurs between them is small, so the same combination of alleles is inherited as a unit in most gametes. When genes are farther apart or on different chromosomes, recombination happens more often, and their alleles assort independently. The other terms listed describe broader inheritance in general, changes in DNA, or introducing foreign DNA, which don’t address why nearby genes are often inherited together.

Gene linkage explains why two genes that sit near each other on the same chromosome tend to be passed on together. During meiosis, chromosomes can exchange segments in a process called crossing over. If the two genes are close, the chance that a crossover occurs between them is small, so the same combination of alleles is inherited as a unit in most gametes. When genes are farther apart or on different chromosomes, recombination happens more often, and their alleles assort independently. The other terms listed describe broader inheritance in general, changes in DNA, or introducing foreign DNA, which don’t address why nearby genes are often inherited together.