Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Centromeres split apart during which phase of mitosis?
A
Prophase
B
Anaphase
C
Telophase
D
Metaphase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by recalling the stages of mitosis: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. Each phase has distinct events that occur within the cell.
Step 2: Understand the role of the centromere. The centromere is the region of a chromosome where sister chromatids are held together. During mitosis, the centromere must split to allow the chromatids to separate and move to opposite poles of the cell.
Step 3: Review the events of anaphase. In this phase, the centromeres split apart, and the sister chromatids are pulled toward opposite poles of the cell by the spindle fibers. This is a key event that distinguishes anaphase from other phases.
Step 4: Compare anaphase to the other phases listed in the problem. Prophase involves chromosome condensation and spindle formation, metaphase involves chromosomes aligning at the cell's equatorial plane, and telophase involves the reformation of the nuclear envelope and the completion of cell division. None of these phases involve centromere splitting.
Step 5: Conclude that centromeres split apart during anaphase, as this is the phase where chromatids are separated and moved to opposite poles of the cell.