Gene linkage is best described by which of the following statements?

• A. Genes on different chromosomes
• B. Genes on the same chromosomes
• C. Genes that have multiple alleles
• D. Genes that are expressed only in polyploid organisms

Answer: (B)

Gene linkage centers on genes located on the same chromosome, so they tend to be inherited together because they are physically linked on that chromosome. During meiosis, alleles on the same chromosome are usually passed down as a unit, especially if the genes are close together; recombination between them is less likely, so parental allele combinations appear more often in offspring. Genes on different chromosomes, by contrast, assort independently, which is why linkage is not observed across chromosomes. The ideas of multiple alleles or expression only in polyploids don’t define linkage.