Question
Biology Question on cell cycle and cell division
During which stages (or prophase I substages) of meiosis do you expect to find the bivalents and DNA replication respectively?
A
Pachytene and interphase (between two meiotic divisions)
B
Pachytene and interphase (just prior to prophase I)
C
Pachytene and S phase (of interphase just prior to prophase I)
D
Zygotene and S phase (of interphase prior to prophase I)
Answer
Zygotene and S phase (of interphase prior to prophase I)
Explanation
Solution
In bivalent formation of chromosomes during meiosis, the homologous chromosomes are arranged in pairs. The phenomenon is called synapsis and it occurs during zygotene stage. DNA replication occurs during S phase or synthetic phase which is the second phase of interphase.