Will dominant traits always stick together when considering genes on different chromosomes?

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Study for the UCF PCB3063 Genetics Final Exam. Prepare with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each offering hints and explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

The assertion that dominant traits will not always stick together when considering genes on different chromosomes is based on Mendel's law of independent assortment. This law states that alleles for different traits segregate independently from one another during gamete formation, provided the genes are located on different chromosomes.

In essence, this means that the inheritance of one trait does not influence the inheritance of another trait when these traits are controlled by genes that reside on separate chromosomes. For instance, if one trait is determined by a gene on chromosome 1 and another trait by a gene on chromosome 2, the combination of dominant and recessive alleles for these traits is random in gametes, independently assorting without being linked.

This principle is fundamental to understanding how traits are inherited in a population, contributing to genetic diversity. It shows that while dominant traits may be prevalent in a certain genotype, their inheritance patterns do not guarantee that they will always be inherited together unless they are located on the same chromosome and are thus linked.