BIO 321 : Genetics

CELL DIVISION :
MITOSIS & MEIOSIS
Chapter 3
Mitosis

•The process of asexual cell division occurs during the growth of a fertilized egg
to the multicellular organism, or during the growth of a single cellular
organism into a mass of cells or a culture in liquid.

•It requires that the genetic material be replicated exactly and passed onto the
two new cells faithfully.

•For diploid human cells, this means that each of the two progeny cells must
receive two copies of each of the 23 chromosomes. But that is not enough,
each of the two progeny cells must receive one copy of each homologue.
Remember, while each of the homologues carry the same genes, they do not
necessarily carry the same form of each gene. Therefore, if a progeny cell
received two copies of one of the homologues, it would not be genetically
identical to the parental cell.

•The process by which this cell division occurs is called mitosis.

The stages of mitosis
• 1. The DNA is replicated during the premitotic stage Interphase.
 
• 2. The chromosomes condense into the visible chromosomes with the sister chromatids attached
during the first stage of mitosis Prophase.

• 3. As the nuclear membrane disappears, the chromosomes align in the middle of the cell moved
there by the attachment of spindle fibers to the centromeres during Metaphase. In animals the
spindle fibers originate from the 2 perpendicular centrioles that create the centrosome structure.
The centrioles were thought to be essential for spindle fiber movement. Interestingly though, you
can remove the centrioles in many dividing cells without affecting cell division. Also plant cells do
not possess centrioles. They can initiate spindle fiber assembly from many MTOCs (Microtubule
Organizing Center), such as special vesicles off golgi, or nuclear envelope or plastids etc..

• 4. The sister chromatids are pulled to opposite ends of the cell by the contraction of the fibers
attached to each centromere during Anaphase.
 
• 5. Division is completed with the syntheses of nuclear membranes around each set of
chromosomes, and the formation of a new cell membrane between the two nuclei in Telophase and
cytokinesis (cell division).Fig 1.11 In plant cells a new cell wall is synthesized between the two
daughter cells.
•The key feature of this process is that the two
sister chromatids are attached through their
centromeres and the spindle fibers also attach to
the centromeres.
•This ensures that the two centromeres will be
pulled to opposite poles of the cell which in turn
ensures that the two progeny cells each get a
copy of each homologue.
•In haploid cells the process proceeds in the
same way, except there is only one copy of each
chromosome. Similarly, in triploid or polyploid
cells, the process ensures the two new cells get a
single copy of each sister chromatid and,
therefore, each chromosome.
Meiosis - Sexual Reproduction:

• The purpose of mitosis is to preserve genetic identity. But as we will

see, there are advantages to a species to maintain genetic diversity
and try out new genetic combinations. That is, different combinations
of varying forms of genes provides diversity which insulates a
population against sudden changes in the environment, exposure to
new diseases or predators, etc.

• Sexual reproduction in diploid organisms involves first a reduction

division in which haploid cells, termed gametes are formed that have
only one copy of each chromosome. Then two gametes, often from
different individuals, fuse to form a new diploid.

• In haploid organisms, sexual reproduction occurs by first the fusion of

two haploid cells, then the meiotic reduction division occurs
generating new haploid cells.
• In both cases, new combinations are generated in part because
during meiosis, the non-homologues segregate into the gametes
independently, so chromosome 1 from one parent is equally
likely to segregate along with chromosome 2 from the same
parent as it is to segregate with chromosome 2 from the other
parent.

• Therefore, an organism with two chromosomes can form four

kinds of gametes: par1chr1-par1chr2; par1chr1-par2chr2;
par2chr1-par1chr2; and par2chr1-par2chr2. An organism with
three chromosomes can for 8 gametes, one with four, 16, etc.

• The formula is 2N where N is the chromosome set number.

• Independent
Segregation:
Meiosis proceeds as follows
• 1. Before meiosis begins, DNA replication occurs.
 
• 2. In prophase I, the chromosomes condense becoming visible, and, unlike in
mitosis the sister chromatids are attached through a single centromere. Again in a
difference between mitosis and meiosis, the homologues pair.
 
• 3. In metaphase I, the nuclear membrane dissolves, and the chromosomes align in
the center of the cell.
 
• 4. In anaphase I, the homologues are pulled to opposite poles. The sister
chromatids remain attached through the single centromere, so they are pulled to
the same pole.

• 5. At this point, the centromeres duplicate, so that the two sister chromatids now
have individual centromeres, but remain attached through these new centromeres.

• 6. A second division ensues, with a metaphase II through telophase II. In this

division, the sister chromatids are pulled apart to opposite poles. Fig 1-16
Given that the DNA replicates before meiosis and that there are
two divisions, the end result is to reduce the ploidy by half,
forming the gametes.
The key to the pattern of segregation of chromosomes in this
process is that when the homologues pair the sister chromatids
in each are attached through a single centromere. This dictates
that the homologues will segregate to opposite poles.
• The differences between meiosis and mitosis are:

• 1. Sister chromatids have separate centromeres in

mitosis, but share a centromere in the first meiotic
division.

• 2. Homologues pair in meiosis but not in mitosis. As a

consequence, homologues segregate from each other
in the first meiotic division while sister chromatids
segregate from each other in the mitotic division.

• 3. There is are two division in meiosis which reduces

the ploidy number (meiosis I/reductional division).