Question

another feature of sexual reproduction that increases genetic variation is that one individual produces a variety of gametes with different combinations of alleles. gametes are produced when specialized diploid cells, called germ cells, divide during a process called meiosis.
this model shows a germ cell from an organism that has two pairs of homologous chromosomes in each of its somatic cells. to prepare for meiosis, a diploid germ cell replicates, or copies its dna.
once replicated, each chromosome is connected to its identical copy at a region called the centromere. each copy of a chromosome is called a sister chromatid. two sister chromatids connected at a centromere are still referred to as a single chromosome.
complete the paragraph.
the gametes produced by one organism are genetically dropdown.
before meiosis begins, a dropdown germ cell makes a copy of its dna.
after dna replication, the germ cell is dropdown and contains dropdown chromosomes as it did before it copied its dna.

Explanation:

1. Sexual reproduction (via meiosis) creates gametes with unique allele combinations, so they are genetically different.
2. Germ cells start as diploid (matching somatic cell chromosome number) before meiosis.
3. DNA replication duplicates chromatids but not chromosome count, so the cell remains diploid.
4. Replication creates sister chromatids attached at centromeres; the total number of distinct chromosomes (counted by centromeres) stays the same as the pre-replication cell.

Answer:

1. The gametes produced by one organism are genetically different
2. Before meiosis begins, a diploid germ cell makes a copy of its DNA.
3. After DNA replication, the germ cell is still diploid and contains
4. the same number of chromosomes as it did before it copied its DNA.