Answer the following questions in reference to Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) that has 6 chromosomes. How many combinations are possible when chromosomes assort independently into gametes (ignoring crossing over)? 6 raised to the 2nd power 2 raised to the 6th power 6 x 2 = 12 2 raised to the 3rd power 3 raised to the 2nd power How many tetrads align at the metaphase plate of meiosis I? 0 12 6 3 Solution Ans.1 No. of possible combination during independent assortment = 2n Where, 2 indicates ploidy of the somatic cells undergoing meiosis, n = number of haploid chromosomes. Given, 2n = 6 Hence, n = 3. Thus, No. of possible combination during independent assortment = 2n = 23 Correct option: 2 raised to 3rd power. Ans. 2. Number of tetrad during meiosis = Number of haploid chromosomes (n) To understand it, let’s number the three haploid chromosomes as A, B and C. A diploid cell has two copies of each chromosome- one inherited from mother and the other from father. So, diploid cell has following chromosomes- A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C3, where 1= maternal chromosomes and 2 = fraternal chromosomes. All the chromosomes remain independent of each other, randomly scattered in nucleus. We will proceed with one chromosome pair, for simplicity. The following events occur when a diploid cell enters meiosis- A1 and A2 are called homologues pair. During S-phase, DNA is duplicated. The resultant- I. A1A1 remain joined to each other. Are called sister chromatids. The same happens to A2A2, and rest other chromosomes. II. Homologous chromosome A1 and A2 pair together prophase I. Since each of A1 and A2 are duplicated, they are (A1A1) and (A2A2) respectively. III. Homologous pairing forms a tetrad – A1A1/A2A2 i.e. four chromosomes remaining together. Note: Both the maternal and fraternal chromosomes and their duplicated copies remain together as a tetrad. That is, the number of tetrad in half of diploid number (because A1 from mother and A2 from father remain together as one single homologous chromosome). Thus, number of treads in drosophila = n = 3 Correct option: D (3).