AP Biology Reading Guide Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Fred and Theresa Holtzclaw

Name__________________________Period___________

Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Concept 13.1 Offspring acquire genes from parents by inheriting chromosomes

1. Let’s begin with a review of several terms that you may already know. Define:

gene

locus

gamete

somatic cells

asexual reproduction

sexual reproduction

clone

2. Which type of reproduction will result in genetically identical offspring?

Concept 13.2 Fertilization and meiosis alternate in sexual life cycles

3. How many chromosomes are in human cells?

4. Review: How does a chromosome compare to chromatin? What is a chromosome?

5. How does a somatic cell compare to a gamete in terms of chromosome number?

6. Distinguish between sex chromosomes and autosomes. How many of each are found in human
cells?

Explanation # in Human
Cells
Sex chromosome

Autosome

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. -1-

AP Biology Reading Guide Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
Fred and Theresa Holtzclaw

7. What is a karyotype?

8. What are three things that can be determined from a karyotype?

a.

b.

c.

9. Explain what is meant by homologous chromosomes.

10. Cells that have only one of each homologous pair are said to be haploid, a condition that is
represented by n. Cells that have two of each homologous pair are said to be diploid or 2n. For
each of the following, is the cell haploid or diploid?

liver cell____________________________ gamete________________________________

egg_________________________________ zygote________________________________

skin cell_____________________________ sperm ________________________________

somatic cell__________________________ sex cell_______________________________

11. The muscle cells of a dog have 78 chromosomes. Fill in the correct chromosome number in a:

bone cell_______ sperm_______ haploid cell_______ somatic cell_______ zygote_______

12. In the cell at right, the chromosomes are shaded in two colors to represent the parent of origin.
On this sketch, label the following:

a. sister chromatids

b. homologous chromosomes

c. centromere

d. replicated chromosome

e. maternal chromosomes

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. -2-

 AP Biology Reading Guide Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
Fred and Theresa Holtzclaw

13. How many chromosomes does the cell above have? (see cell with #12)

How many homologous pairs?

How many chromatids?

Is this cell haploid or diploid?

14. Where are the gametes of an animal produced? Be specific as to male and female gametes.

15. By what process are gametes produced?

16. What is another term for a fertilized egg? __________________What is the chromosome
number of the fertilized egg? (Answer this in general terms, haploid, n, or diploid, 2n.)

17. What is the purpose of meiosis?

18. Study Figure 13.6. You will see that plants have a life cycle that involves spores, which form
as a result of meiosis, so these spores are haploid. Notice also that both haploid and diploid cells
can divide by mitosis. However, meiosis always begins with cells that are _________________,
and as a result of meiosis, daughter cells are formed that are always _________________. These
cells can be gametes (in animals) or spores (in plants).

Concept 13.3 Meiosis reduces the number of chromosome sets from diploid to haploid

19. What are alleles? Give an example.

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. -3-

AP Biology Reading Guide Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
Fred and Theresa Holtzclaw

20. In meiosis, the DNA is replicated during interphase, followed by two divisions. The first division
is meiosis I. Study the events of prophase I as they are significant.
Explain each of these events:

synapsis

crossing over PROPHASE I

chiasmata

21. The figure at the right shows metaphase I. How is the arrangement of chromosomes different
from metaphase of mitosis?

METAPHASE I

22. There will be two divisions in meiosis. What will separate in the first division in meiosis I?

23. Now study the chromosomes in anaphase I and telophase I carefully. How many chromosomes
are in each cell at the end of the first meiotic division?

Are the resultant daughter cells haploid, or diploid?

ANAPHASE I TELOPHASE I

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. -4-

AP Biology Reading Guide Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
Fred and Theresa Holtzclaw

24. From this figure, you should see that chromosome number is reduced in meiosis I and that the
daughter cells at the end of meiosis I are haploid. Remember this!

25. During meiosis I, homologous chromosomes separate. What separates during meiosis II?

26. To check that you have the big picture, here are some quick review questions.
a. What happens to chromosome number in meiosis?

b. During which division is the chromosome number reduced?

c. What is the purpose of meiosis?

d. How many times does the cell divide in meiosis?

e. How many times do the chromosomes duplicate?

f. How many daughter cells are formed?

g. What is the chromosome number?

h. What are homologs (homologous chromosomes)?

i. What occurs in synapsis?

j. What is crossing over?

27. Use Figure 13.10 to compare of mitosis and meiosis. Add these labels:

Parent cell, Mitosis, Meiosis, Synapsis, Homologous chromosomes, Replicated chromosomes,

Sister chromatids, Daughter cells, Meiosis I, Meiosis II, Crossing over

As you label the drawing, carefully think about each process and review its important features.

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. -5-

AP Biology Reading Guide Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
Fred and Theresa Holtzclaw

28. Students often get confused about the differences between mitosis and meiosis. To help with
this, work through the following chart:
Mitosis Meiosis
Role in the animal body

Number of DNA replications

Number of divisions

Number of daughter cells

Chromosome number of
daughter cells

29. Synapsis and crossing over are unique to meiosis. During what specific phase do these occur?

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. -6-

AP Biology Reading Guide Chapter 13: Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
Fred and Theresa Holtzclaw

30. Explain the physical events of crossing over. You may wish to make a sketch of the event.
Include these terms: synaptonemal complex, chiasmata, homologs, sister chromatids.

Concept 13.4 Genetic variation produced in sexual life cycles contributes to evolution

31. An important idea for you to understand is that new alleles arise by changes in the DNA or mutation,
but genetic diversity occurs when the deck that is dealt is simply reshuffled. So, there are three
ways that sexually reproducing organisms “shuffle the deck.” They are listed below. Explain what
occurs in each, and how this increases diversity.

independent assortment of chromosomes

crossing over

random fertilization

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. -7-