Q.State Mendel's Law of Segregation. How does the separation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis (anaphase I) provide the physical basis for this law?

Step 1. The Law of Segregation states that the two alleles of a gene present in a heterozygote do not blend; they remain distinct and separate from each other during gamete formation, so each gamete carries only one of the two alleles.

Step 2. In a diploid heterozygous cell (Tt), the T allele lies on one homologous chromosome and the t allele lies on its homologous partner.

Step 3. During meiosis I, homologous chromosomes pair up (synapsis) and then, at anaphase I, the two homologues of each pair are pulled to opposite poles of the dividing cell. …

State the law, then map the abstract 'two alleles separate' idea onto the concrete chromosomal event (homologous ch …

• Confusing anaphase I (homologue separation, the correct stage) with anaphase II (sister chromatid separation, which is unrelated to segregation of different alleles). …