True or False: A 50% recombination frequency indicates that two genes are unlinked.

A 50% recombination frequency indicates that two genes are unlinked. This means that the genes assort independently during gamete formation, resulting in an equal likelihood of inheriting any combination of alleles for those genes. When two genes are located on different chromosomes or are sufficiently far apart on the same chromosome, the likelihood of a crossover event occurring between them is high, leading to a recombination frequency around 50%.

In contrast, a lower recombination frequency suggests that the genes are linked, as they are more likely to be inherited together due to their proximity on the same chromosome. Thus, when two genes have a recombination frequency close to 50%, this serves as evidence that they are unlinked, reinforcing the idea that they segregate independently according to Mendel's law of independent assortment. Therefore, the statement in the question is false.