Biology Question on the molecular basis of inheritance

Question

The reason for deviation from Mendel’s dihybrid cross in T.H. Morgan's experiment is

Answer 1

Solution

The reason for the deviation from Mendel's dihybrid cross in T.H. Morgan's experiment is "Linkage."

In Morgan's experiments with fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), he observed that certain traits that were expected to segregate independently according to Mendel's principles actually appeared together more often than expected. This phenomenon occurred because the genes responsible for these traits were located close to each other on the same chromosome, resulting in their linkage.

Linkage refers to the tendency of genes on the same chromosome to be inherited together as a unit, rather than independently assorting during meiosis. This discovery of linkage led to the understanding of genetic recombination and the concept of genetic mapping.