GENERAL BIOLOGY 1

NAME: ____________________________________ DATE: ________________________

GRADE & SECTION: __________________________ TEACHER: _____________________

WEEK 5
CONCEPT NOTES 8
1. TOPIC: Meiosis
2. LEARNING GOAL: The students should be able to:
a. describe and differentiate the stages of meiosis,
b. demonstrate crossing over and recombination; and
c. explain the significance of meiosis.

3. CONCEPTS

A. TERMS
✔ Chiasmata (singular, chiasma) the x-shaped regions in each homologous chromosome where
crossovers occur.
● Kinetochore the site in the centromere where the spindle microtubule attaches.

B. Meiosis is a reduction division of the nuclear

material so that each gamete contains only half
as much hereditary material as the parent cell.
The process involves two successive divisions of a
diploid nucleus.

In meiosis, chromosome duplication in

interphase, followed by two consecutive cell
divisions, called meiosis I and meiosis II. These
two divisions result in four daughter cells, each
with only half as many chromosomes as the
parent cell.

C. Exploring Meiosis in an Animal Cell

Meiosis I: The first meiotic division results in reducing

the number of chromosomes (reduction division). In this
process, homologous chromosomes are separated. In
most cases, the division is accompanied by cytokinesis.

❖ Prophase I

✔ Centrosome movement, spindle formation, and nuclear envelope breakdown occur. Chromosomes
condense progressively throughout prophase I.
✔ Duplicated homologous chromosomes (red and blue) pair
up and exchange segments.
✔ During early prophase I, each chromosome pairs with its
homolog, aligned gene by gene, and crossing over occurs at
chiasmata: The DNA molecules of nonsister chromatids are
broken (by proteins) and are rejoined to each other.
✔ Later in prophase I, microtubules from one pole or the
other attach to the kinetochores, one at the centromere
of each homolog. (The two kinetochores on the sister chromatids of a homolog are linked
together by proteins and act as a single kinetochore.)
✔ Microtubules move the homologous pairs toward the metaphase plate (see the metaphase I
diagram).
❖ Metaphase I

✔ Chromosomes line up by homologous pairs.

● Pairs of homologous chromosomes are now
arranged at the metaphase plate, with one
chromosome of each pair facing each pole.
● Both chromatids of one homolog are attached to
kinetochore microtubules from one pole; the
chromatids of the other homolog are attached to
microtubules from the opposite pole.
❖ Anaphase I

✔ The two homologous chromosomes of each pair

separate.
● Breakdown of proteins that are responsible for
sister chromatid cohesion along chromatid arms
allows homologs to separate.
● The homologs move toward opposite poles,
guided by the spindle apparatus.
● Sister chromatid cohesion persists at the
centromere, causing chromatids to move as a unit
toward the same pole.
❖ Telophase I

✔ Two haploid cells form; each chromosome still consists of

two sister chromatids.
● When telophase I begins, each half of the cell has
a complete haploid set of duplicated
chromosomes. Each chromosome is composed of
two sister chromatids; one or both chromatids
include regions of nonsister chromatid DNA.
● Cytokinesis usually occurs simultaneously with
telophase I, forming two haploid daughter cells.
(In animal cells a cleavage furrow forms. In plant
cells, a cell plate forms.)
● In some species, chromosomes decondense and
nuclear envelopes form.
● No chromosome duplication occurs between meiosis I and meiosis II.
 Meiosis II: The events in the second meiotic division are quite like a mitotic division. The difference
lies, however, in the number of chromosomes that each daughter cell receives. While the original
chromosome number is maintained in mitosis, the number is reduced to half in meiosis.

During the second round of cell division, the sister chromatids finally separate, and four haploid
daughter cells result, containing unduplicated chromosomes.

❖ Prophase II

✔ The spindle fiber starts to form at the opposite poles of the

cell.
✔ In late prophase II, chromosomes, each still composed of two
chromatids associated at the centromere, are moved by
microtubules toward the metaphase II plate.

❖ Metaphase II

✔ The chromosomes are positioned at the metaphase plate as in

mitosis.
✔ Because of crossing over in meiosis I, the two sister chromatids
of each chromosome are not genetically identical.
✔ The kinetochores of sister chromatids are attached to
microtubules extending from opposite poles

❖ Anaphase II

✔ Breakdown of proteins holding the sister chromatids together

at the centromere allows the chromatids to separate.
✔ The chromatids move toward opposite poles as individual
chromosomes.

❖ Telophase II

✔ Nuclei form, the chromosomes begin decondensing, and

cytokinesis occurs.
✔ The meiotic division of one parent cell produces four daughter cells, each with a haploid set
of (unduplicated) chromosomes.
✔ The four daughter cells are genetically distinct from one another and from the parent cell.

D. Summary of Meiosis
E. Significance of Mitosis for Sexual Reproduction
❖ Mitosis is important for sexual reproduction indirectly. It allows the sexually reproducing
organism to grow and develop from a single cell into a sexually mature individual. This allows
the organism to continue to produce through the generations.

F. Significance of Meiosis and Chromosome Nuclear

❖ Chromosomes are a cell's way to neatly arrange long strands of DNA. Non-sex cells have two
sets of chromosomes, one set from each parent. Meiosis makes sex cells with only one set of
chromosomes

G. Mitosis vs. Meiosis

 Reference: Campbell 2017

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1
NAME: ____________________________________ DATE: ________________________
GRADE & SECTION: __________________________ TEACHER: _____________________

ACTIVITY 8

Instructions:
1. Make a comic strip that describes the phases of meiosis.
2. Limit one stage of the cycle to one comic strip.
3. The comic strip should explain meiosis as it progresses from step to step.
4. Keep your concept strong and creativity up!
5. Terms you must use are: crossing over, chiasma, meiosis I, meiosis II, haploid
6. See samples of comic strips below.

RUBRICS
Meiosis

CORRECT CONCEPT 20
ORIGINALITY 10

ILLUSTRATION 5

ORGANIZATION 5

CREATIVITY 5

SUBMITTED ON TIME 5

TOTAL 50