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We can see if two genes are linked, and how tightly, by using data from genetic crosses to calculate the recombination frequency. By finding recombination frequencies for many gene pairs, we can make linkage maps that show the order and relative distances of the genes on the chromosome.
While in mitosis, genes are generally transferred faithfully from one cellular generation to the next; in meiosis and subsequent sexual reproduction, genes get mixed up.
A genetic map shows the map distance, in cM, that separates any two loci, and the position of these loci relative to all other mapped loci. The genetic map distance is roughly proportional to the physical distance, i.e., the amount of DNA between two loci.
Learn how the distance between genes on a chromosome influences their likelihood to recombine. Dive into the concept of centimorgans, the unit of measurement for gene distance, and how it relates to the frequency of recombination.
The importance of mitosis and meiosis to an organism is obvious when we consider that genes are a part of the chromosome and the genes must be copied and distributed properly to produce viable daughter cells. The mechanisms of these events are far from being completely understood.
There are two ways cell division can happen in humans and most other animals, called mitosis and meiosis. When a cell divides by way of mitosis, it produces two clones of itself, each with the same number of chromosomes. When a cell divides by way of meiosis, it produces four cells, called gametes.
The stages of cell division oversee the separation of identical genetic material into two new nuclei, followed by the division of the cytoplasm. Animal cell mitosis is divided into five stages—prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase—visualized here by light microscopy with fluorescence.
