3.

3 Meiosis
Essential Idea: Alleles segregate during meiosis, allowing new
combinations to be formed by the fusion of gametes.

-Meiosis is one of two ways in which the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell can
divide. The other method is mitosis.
-In meiosis, the nucleus divides twice. The first division (meiosis 1) produces
2 nuclei, each of which divides again (meiosis 2) to give a total of 4 nuclei
-Meiosis is a halving of a chromosome number (aka. Reduction division)
-the nucleus that undergoes the 1st division is diploid, and each of the 4
nuclei produced is haploid

Bivalent Formation
-The early stages of meiosis involve pairing of homologous chromosomes
-a pair of homologous chromosomes is called bivalent
-pairing process is sometimes called synapsis
-Soon after synapsis, a process called crossing over takes place at random
positions along the chromosome
-A junction is created when one chromatid breaks and rejoins with the other
chromatid
-there is a mutual exchange of genes between homologous chromatids,
generating new combinations of alleles

Process of Meiosis
-Prophase: condensation of chromosomes
-Metaphase: attachment of spindle fibres
-Anaphase: movement to poles
-Telophase: decondensation of chromosomes

Prophase 1:
-Nuclear membrane breaks down
-Spindle microtubules grow
-Crossing over occurs

Metaphase 1:
-Chromosomes line up at the equator

-Spindle microtubules attach to chromosomes

Anaphase 1:
-Homologous chromosomes are pulled to opposite ends

Telophase 1:
-Nuclear membrane reforms
-Cell membrane divides by a process called cytokinesis

Prophase 2:

-Nuclear membrane breaks down

-Spindle microtubules grow
-Crossing over occurs

Metaphase 2:
-Chromosomes line up at the equator
-Spindle microtubules attach to chromosomes

Anaphase 2:
-chromosomes divide, and sister chromatids are pulled to opposite poles

Telophase 2:
-Nuclear membrane reforms
-Cell membrane divides by a process called cytokinesis

Genetic Variation
-2 processes of crossing over and random orientation promotes genetic
variation

Random orientation:
-In metaphase 1 the orientation of bivalents is random, crossing over
-allows linked genes to be reshuffled during prophase 1
-Fusion of gametes from different parents also promotes genetic variation
-alleles from 2 different individuals are combined in new individuals
-promotes genetic variation, in a species, which is essential for evolution

Non-disjunction:
-Meiosis is sometimes subject to errors
-Non-disjunction occurs when homologous chromosomes fail to separate at
anaphase
-Both chromosomes move to one pole and neither to the other pole
-results in a gamete that either has a extra chromosome or is deficient in
one

-Can also result in the birth of babies with abnormal numbers of sex
chromosomes, such as Down syndrome
-chromosomes fail to separate during meiosis, leading to 3 chromosomes
of type 21
-The non-disjunction can take place in either the formation of the egg or
sperm