Understanding Gametes
* Gametes are reproductive cells (sperm or egg) that carry half the genetic material of an organism.
* Alleles are alternative forms of a gene. For example, the gene for eye color might have a brown allele (B) and a blue allele (b).
Independent Assortment
During meiosis (the cell division that produces gametes), alleles for different genes separate independently of each other. This means that the combination of alleles in a gamete is random.
Calculating the Number of Gametes
1. Count the number of heterozygous gene pairs: The individual is heterozygous for three gene pairs (Dd, Gg, and ww).
2. Calculate the possibilities for each pair: Each heterozygous pair has two possible alleles that can go into a gamete (for example, D or d).
3. Multiply the possibilities together: For three heterozygous pairs, you multiply the possibilities together: 2 * 2 * 2 = 8
Answer: A DdGgww individual can form 8 different kinds of gametes.
