Question

What is the reason for the purity of gametes?
A. Dominance
B. Segregation
C. Independent assortment
D. Blending

Answer 1

Hint:Mendel’s law of purity of gametes states that the unit factors are brought together and paired during fertilization, however, these unit factors do not affect or mix with each other though they have become paired.

Complete answer:
Option A: Dominance refers to a specific relationship between two alleles of a gene. In this, one allele of a gene masks the characteristics of the other alleles of the same gene, and only the characters of the dominant allele are expressed. This is not associated with the purity of gametes. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.
Option B: Unit factors/alleles from maternal and paternal gamete pairs during the process of fertilization. This pairing doesn't lead to any mixing or blending of these factors. These factors remain pure in the offspring’s somatic cells as two distinct entities. When the gamete is forming, these paired entities will segregate and each gamete accepts only one copy. This is known as Mendel's law of segregation. And this is the reason for the purity of gametes. Therefore this is the correct answer.
Option C: Independent assortment is a mendelian law. It states that alleles of two different genes get sorted into gametes independently of one another. This is not associated with the purity of gametes. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.
Option D: Blending inheritance refers to the combination of characters from both the parents in their children. It states the offspring will have intermediate characteristics of those of parents. This is not associated with the purity of gametes. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Hence, the correct answer is option ‘C’ i.e, Segregation.

Note:
i) Gregor Mendell, through his 8 year-long experiments in pea plants discovered the fundamental laws of inheritance.
ii) Mendel tracked the segregation of parental genes by observing their phenotype in the offspring.