Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Meiosis differs from mitosis in that _____ only occurs in meiosis.
A
DNA replication occurs before cell division
B
homologous chromosomes pair and undergo crossing over
C
the cell divides once to produce two identical daughter cells
D
sister chromatids separate during cell division
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the key differences between meiosis and mitosis. Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, producing four non-identical haploid cells, while mitosis produces two identical diploid cells.
Recall that meiosis consists of two consecutive divisions: meiosis I and meiosis II. Meiosis I is unique because homologous chromosomes pair up and undergo crossing over, which does not occur in mitosis.
Crossing over happens during prophase I of meiosis. Homologous chromosomes exchange genetic material at points called chiasmata, increasing genetic diversity in the resulting gametes.
In meiosis, homologous chromosomes separate during anaphase I, while sister chromatids separate during anaphase II. In mitosis, sister chromatids separate during a single division.
DNA replication occurs before both meiosis and mitosis during the S phase of the cell cycle, so this is not a distinguishing feature. The key distinction is the pairing and crossing over of homologous chromosomes, which is exclusive to meiosis.