Multiple Choice
Which of the following is considered the basic building block of heredity in living organisms?
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1. Introduction to Genetics
Fundamentals of Genetics
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Which of the following statements about the genetic makeup of a normal gamete is correct?
A
A normal gamete contains two alleles for each gene, one from each parent.
B
A normal gamete is always diploid and genetically identical to the parent cell.
C
A normal gamete is always haploid and contains only one allele for each gene.
D
A normal gamete can be homozygous or heterozygous for a particular gene.
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that gametes are reproductive cells (sperm and egg) formed through meiosis, a process that reduces the chromosome number by half.
Understand that diploid cells have two sets of chromosomes (2n), meaning two alleles for each gene, one from each parent, while haploid cells have only one set (n), containing a single allele for each gene.
Recognize that normal gametes are haploid, so they contain only one allele for each gene, not two, and are not genetically identical to the parent diploid cell because of genetic recombination and reduction division.
Note that terms like homozygous and heterozygous describe the genotype of diploid organisms (with two alleles per gene), so these terms do not apply to haploid gametes which have only one allele per gene.
Conclude that the correct statement must reflect that a normal gamete is haploid and contains only one allele for each gene.
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