What term describes genes on the same chromosome that are inherited together?

• A. Allele
• B. Locus
• C. Chromosome
• D. Linked Genes

Answer: (D)

Genes that lie on the same chromosome tend to be passed on together because they are physically linked on that chromosome. This pattern of inheritance is called genetic linkage, and the genes involved are known as linked genes. During meiosis, crossing over between homologous chromosomes can separate genes, but the closer two genes are to each other, the less likely a crossover will occur between them. As a result, those genes are inherited as a unit more often than not, producing parental allele combinations in offspring. If a crossover happens between them, new combinations can appear, but the default expectation is that linked genes are inherited together. For clarity, an allele is a variant form of a gene, a locus is the gene’s specific position on a chromosome, and a chromosome is the larger structure that carries many genes.