Question

The continuity of life is based on heritable information in the form of DNA. IN a short essay (100-150 words), explain how chromosome behavior during sexual reproduction in animals ensures the perpetuation of parental traits in offspring and, at the same time, genetic variation among offspring.

Short answer

The parental traits are inherited in the offspring via the transfer of genes through the fertilization process.

The genetic variation is seen among different offspring is due to crossing over and recombination.

Step-by-step solution

Inheritance

DNA is the inheritable material that is found in every living organism. The genetic characters are transferred from the parent to the future generations.

The DNA transferred from one generation to another to pass the genetic information is known as inheritance.

Sexual reproduction ensuring parental traits 

Sexual reproduction is the fusion of male gamete and female gamete that results in the formation of offspring. The offspring are created from genetically unique parents.

The genetic transfer from the parent to the offspring occurs via the fertilization process. It inculcates the parental characters into the offspring.

Sexual reproduction ensuring genetic variation

Crossing over leads to the recombination that mixes up the paternal characters and maternal characters in the offspring. It maximizes the genes in the progeny comparing the parents.

Hence, the genetic variation occurs due to crossing over, leading to recombination in the germ cell. The parental characters are inherited with some extra traits due to the genetic variation in the meiosis phase.