Meiosis

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What is meiosis?
• Meiosis is a form of nuclear division that results in the production of
haploid cells from diploid cells. It involves two consecutive divisions,
Meiosis I and Meiosis II, which together result in the formation of
four non-identical daughter cells called gametes. These gametes in
plants and animals are used in sexual reproduction.
Where does meiosis occur?
• Meiosis occurs:
1.In the testes of male animals and the ovaries of female animals
2.In the anthers and ovaries of flowering plants
Why is meiosis important?
• Meiosis is a vital process involved in sexual reproduction. It increases
genetic diversity through the shuffling and recombination of genetic
material. This results in different combinations of alleles in the
gametes produced. Having genetically unique offspring can be
beneficial for a population in terms of species survival.
What are the stages of meiosis?
What are the key meiosis terms I need to
know?
• Homologous chromosomes: a pair of chromosomes that are the same size and shape, and have
the same gene loci.
• Haploid: cell or nucleus containing single, unpaired chromosomes (a single copy of
chromosome).
• Diploid: cell or nucleus containing paired chromosomes (two copies of each chromosome).
• Gamete: reproductive (sex) cell that fuses with another gamete during fertilisation.
• Allele: a specific version or form of a gene that occupies a particular position, or locus, on a
chromosome.
• Chromatid: one of the two strands of a chromosome that are joined together by a single
centromere prior to cell division.
• Crossing over: the exchange of DNA material between non-sister homologous chromatids.
Independent assortment: the random orientation and distribution of homologous chromosomes
during meiosis I.
What is the difference between
chromosomes and chromatids?
• Understanding the difference between chromosomes and chromatids
isn’t always easy, especially during meiosis. We count chromosomes
by the number of centromeres present. So when the 46 human
chromosomes duplicate during interphase and the amount of DNA in
the cell doubles there are still only 46 chromosomes present because
there are still only 46 centromeres present. However, there are now 92
chromatids, which are strands of replicated chromosomes.
What happens when meiosis goes wrong?
• Meiosis is controlled and regulated by several complex molecular
mechanisms. Errors that occur during meiosis can lead to genetic
disorders or abnormalities in the offspring produced from the affected
gametes.
How was meiosis discovered?
• You don’t need to know this for your exams but you may be wondering: “How on earth the process of meiosis was
discovered?” Like many scientific processes and mechanisms, it was discovered through the power of observation!
In 1876 German biologist, Oscar Hertwig made some important observations about sea urchin eggs during
fertilization in relation to the number of chromosomes in different cells.
• Then in the early 1900s, two scientists had the same idea at the same time, which happens more often than you
think! American geneticist Sutton and the German biologist Boveri independently proposed the chromosomal
theory of inheritance. This theory implies that chromosomes are the physical unit of heredity and that their
behaviour during meiosis is responsible for the distribution of genetic traits to offspring.
• Their proposals were based on their studies of various organisms, such as grasshoppers and sea urchins. They
noticed that the homologous chromosomes pair up during meiosis I and then separate independently during the
subsequent stages, leading to the formation of haploid cells with varying combinations of alleles. Be careful not to
get mixed up here, it is important to remember that the daughter cells all have the same number of genes but
different combinations of alleles.
• After these initial discoveries and observations, further research revealed the complex molecular mechanisms
underlying meiosis. It was found that proteins and regulatory molecules play a vital role in regulating the different
stages of meiosis. The discovery of meiosis has been crucial in improving our knowledge of genetics, inheritance,
and evolution. It has allowed for major advancements in other fields such as medicine and agriculture.