Meiosis and Mendelian Genetics

In this 2 week discussion area you will investigate why it is vital to have a good understanding of meiosis in order to comprehend Mendelian genetics.

Gregor Mendel developed his theories of inheritance without any knowledge of meiosis or the existence of DNA and chromosomes. Fifty years after he published his work and after his death, the modern era of genetics validated his conclusions.

It is astounding to imagine being able to figure out what was going on with those peas in that monastery with no idea of what a chromosome is! You, on the other hand, have it easy since you know what DNA is and how it is duplicated and passed down through the generations. It turns out that there was a fair amount of luck involved in Mendel's choice of traits to use in his experiments. In this discussion area you will present examples of hereditary patterns that would have confounded Mendel's theories.

For this discussion you will submit 1 original post and at least 3 responses to classmates' entries, as follows:

Original Post - First: Explain how one of Mendel's postulates is explained by one or more stages of meiosis. Be very specific when describing particular chromosomes and particular stages of meiosis.

Second: Find a specific example of something that happens during meiosis that would change Mendel's expected ratio of phenotypes in the next generation (the trait does not have to be found in peas; it can be any trait in any organism that produces an unusual hereditary pattern). Explain your answer and provide examples.