Genes E and H are syntenic in an experimental organism with the genotype EH/eh. Assume that during each meiosis, one crossover occurs between these genes. No homologous chromosomes escape crossover, and none undergo double crossover. Are genes E and H genetically linked? Why or why not? What is the proportion of parental gametes produced by meiosis?

Genetic linkage refers to the tendency of genes located close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis. When genes are syntenic, they are physically located on the same chromosome, which can lead to a lower frequency of recombination between them. If genes E and H are genetically linked, they will produce more parental gametes than recombinant gametes due to their proximity.

Crossover is a process during meiosis where homologous chromosomes exchange segments of genetic material, leading to genetic recombination. In this scenario, with one crossover occurring between genes E and H, the resulting gametes will include both parental types and recombinant types. The frequency of these types depends on the distance between the genes; closer genes result in fewer recombinant gametes.

Parental gametes are those that contain the original combinations of alleles from the parents, while recombinant gametes have new combinations due to crossover events. In the case of the genotype EH/eh, if one crossover occurs between E and H, the expected ratio of parental to recombinant gametes can be calculated. This ratio helps determine the genetic linkage and the degree of recombination between the genes.