Question

Meiosis has evolved to solve a problem. Sex cells don’t go through mitosis when they produce gametes. They go through meiosis. Meiosis has evolved to solve a problem. A problem that would occur if sex cells go through mitosis instead of meiosis. What is the problem?

a. the cells would stop dividing after a few generations

b. every generation would double the number of chromosomes

c. the male germ cells could no longer merge with the female germ cell

d. all sex cells would not be 100% identical

Answer 1

Meiosis produce haploid cells while mitosis produce diploid cells. So if mitosis occurs in stead of meiosis in reproductive cells, the number of chromosomes rise exponentially with each generation.

Fertilization would occur normally, as nothing has changed in that. So option a and c are incorrect.

In mitosis, recombination do not occur. So all the cell are identical. So, if mitosis occurs in stead of meiosis in reproductive cells, all the reproductive cells would be 100% identical. So option d is incorrect.

ANSWER: b. every generation would double the number of chromosomes