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Multiple Choice
The production of an egg cell containing two X chromosomes (XX) is due to which event occurring during oogenesis?
A
Independent assortment during metaphase I
B
Crossing over during prophase I
C
Nondisjunction during meiosis I or II
D
Cytokinesis during telophase II
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the process of oogenesis, which is the formation of egg cells (ova) through meiosis. Meiosis involves two divisions: meiosis I and meiosis II, and is designed to reduce the chromosome number by half, producing haploid cells.
Recall that nondisjunction is an error in meiosis where homologous chromosomes (in meiosis I) or sister chromatids (in meiosis II) fail to separate properly. This can result in gametes with an abnormal number of chromosomes.
Analyze the scenario where an egg cell ends up with two X chromosomes (XX). This indicates that nondisjunction occurred during either meiosis I or meiosis II, leading to the failure of chromosome separation.
Differentiate nondisjunction from other events mentioned in the problem: Independent assortment during metaphase I refers to the random orientation of homologous chromosomes, crossing over during prophase I involves the exchange of genetic material, and cytokinesis during telophase II is the physical division of the cytoplasm. None of these events directly cause an egg cell to have two X chromosomes.
Conclude that the production of an egg cell containing two X chromosomes (XX) is specifically due to nondisjunction during meiosis I or II, as this is the event that disrupts the normal separation of chromosomes.