Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Integrated Science (024) Practice Exam

What principle explains how different alleles segregate into gametes?

1. Law of assortative mating

2. Law of dominant inheritance

3. Law of independent assortment

4. Law of segregation

The correct answer is: Law of independent assortment

The principle that explains how different alleles segregate into gametes is the Law of Segregation. This law, formulated by Gregor Mendel, states that during the formation of gametes (sperm and egg cells), the two alleles for a gene separate or segregate from each other, so that each gamete carries only one allele for each gene. This law is fundamental to understanding genetic inheritance because it illustrates how offspring may inherit different combinations of alleles from their parents. For example, if an organism has one allele for a trait (e.g., a flower color) inherited from each parent, these alleles will segregate during gamete formation, contributing to the genetic variation seen in the offspring. In contrast, the Law of Independent Assortment refers specifically to the way genes for different traits are inherited independently of one another, rather than the segregation of alleles for a single trait. This distinction highlights that while alleles can segregate independently for different genes, the Law of Segregation is specifically about the separation of alleles during gamete formation.