What does the principle of independent assortment describe?

• A. Alleles for different traits segregate independently during meiosis
• B. Traits are inherited together from parents
• C. Dominant alleles mask the expression of recessive alleles
• D. Phenotypes are determined by environmental factors

Answer: (A)

The principle of independent assortment describes the way alleles for different traits segregate independently during meiosis. This principle, first noted by Gregor Mendel in his studies of pea plants, states that the inheritance of one trait will not affect the inheritance of another trait if the genes are located on different chromosomes or are far apart on the same chromosome.

This means that during the formation of gametes, the distribution of alleles is random, allowing for genetic variation in offspring. For example, if you consider two traits, such as seed shape (round or wrinkled) and seed color (yellow or green), the outcome of one trait does not influence the outcome of the other trait. This results in a variety of combinations in the offspring, demonstrating the independent assortment of alleles.

Other concepts, such as traits being inherited together or the dominance of certain alleles, relate to different principles of genetics. The idea that phenotypes are influenced by environmental factors introduces another layer of complexity to genetics, but this does not address the specific genetic mechanism of allele segregation described by the principle of independent assortment.