Question

Segregation of genes takes place during
A. Metaphase
B. Anaphase
C. Prophase
D. Embryo formation

Answer 1

Hint: Each individual in a diploid has a pair of alleles for a specific trait. Each parent passes an allele to its offspring, resulting in a diploid organism. Each factor in a pair separates during the formation of gametes. Hence, each gamete receives only one factor for each character. This happens owing to meiosis. In meiosis, this event takes place during the Anaphase stage of meiosis - I.

Complete answer
Option A Metaphase: The bivalent chromosomes align at the equatorial plate and microtubules from the opposite poles get attached to the pairs of homologous chromosomes. So, gene segregation does not take place in the metaphase of meiosis.
Option A is not correct
Option B Anaphase: The segregation is a distinctive event of anaphase stage. During anaphase, shortening of spindle microtubules happens. Each chromosome is pulled along by a spindle and dragged towards the opposite poles of the cell. This incident causes segregation of genes which leads to each cell getting a uniform amount of the genetic material.
Hence, Option B is correct
Option C Prophase: Prophase is the longest phase in meiosis and has the following stages: leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene and diakinesis. Chromosome condensation, formation of bivalent chromosomes due to chromosomal synapsis, crossing over of non-sister chromatids, formation of chiasmata and assembly of mitotic spindle by dissolution of chiasmata. From the above events, it is concluded that gene segregation does not occur in prophase.
So, Option C is not correct
Option D Embryo formation: In embryo formation, cell division and cell differentiation leading to the growth of tissues and organs. So genes are not segregated during embryo formation.
Option D is not correct

Hence, Option B is the correct answer.

Note:
The genes obtained from both parents are equally expressed in the offspring. Alleles get separated from each other and each of the alleles enter a single gamete. The separation of one allele does not affect the other. This segregation phenomenon was observed by Gregor Mendel in \[1865\]. The segregation aids us to understand how traits of parents are passed to offspring. In other words, passing traits from one generation to the subsequent generation.