Question

Mendel was not able to get any linkage due to

• A. law of dominance
• B. law of unit character
• C. law of independent assortment
• D. none of these

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

law of independent assortment

Answer 2

The law of independent assortment applies only to gene pairs on different pairs of homologous chromosomes - one gene pair on one pair of homologous chromosomes and the other gene pair on another pair of homologous chromosomes. Though Mendel did not know about chromosomes, all the traits he studied were on different pairs of homologous chromosomes. That is why he concluded that gene pairs segregate independently of one another. Mendel�s gene pairs did not show linkage. Linkage is the phenomenon of certain genes staying together and their inheritance from generation to generation without any change or separation due to their being present on the same chromosome.