AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Recombination or crossing over occurs during prophase I. Homologous chromosomes – 1 inherited from each parent – pair along their lengths, gene by gene. Breaks occur along the chromosomes, and they rejoin, trading some of their genes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Prophase I: The nuclear envelope breaks down. The chromatin condenses into chromosomes. Homologous chromosomes containing the two chromatids come together to form tetrads, joining at their centromeres (2n 4c). This is when “crossing over” occurs, which creates genetic variation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Between prophase I and metaphase I, the pairs of homologous chromosome form tetrads. Within the tetrad, any pair of chromatid arms can overlap and fuse in a process called crossing-over or recombination. Recombination is a process that breaks, recombines and rejoins sections of DNA to produce new combinations of genes.

Detailed explanation-4: -Crossing Over During prophase of meiosis I, the double-chromatid homologous pairs of chromosomes cross over with each other and often exchange chromosome segments. This recombination creates genetic diversity by allowing genes from each parent to intermix, resulting in chromosomes with a different genetic complement.

Detailed explanation-5: -Crossing over occurs during prophase I of meiosis before tetrads are aligned along the equator in metaphase I. By meiosis II, only sister chromatids remain and homologous chromosomes have been moved to separate cells. Recall that the point of crossing over is to increase genetic diversity.