Why does the amount of DNA does not get doubled during sexual reproduction?
Answer:
The amount of DNA does not get doubled during sexual reproduction:
- Since this mode of reproduction involves the fusion of male and female gametes, one must think that the amount of DNA must be doubled after every generation which might mess up the information DNA has for making proteins thereby disturbing the cellular functions. However, this does not happen.
- When the gametes are produced, they receive half the amount of DNA from their parents so that when these two gametes fuse, the DNA content is restored .
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This is achieved by the type of cell division known as
meiosis.
(meiosis is the type of cell division in which the daughter cells receive half the number of chromosomes as that of their parents)
