Chapter 6, Problem 1CONQ

What is the difference in meaning between the terms genetic recombination and crossing over?

Summary Introduction

To review:

The differencebetween the meanings ofgenetic recombination and crossing over.

Introduction:

In genetics, breeding of two different organisms results in the production of an offspring that carries the traits of both parents, and this phenomenon is known as crossing. Zygosity can be of two types, namely, homozygous and heterozygous, but only one appears at a time. Homozygous have the same allele in them, whereasheterozygous have two, namely, dominant and recessive.

Explanation of Solution

Genetic recombination can be studied only in viruses and eukaryotes, at a molecular level. Recombination process is too complicated to observe in eukaryotes. The process of recombination involvescreation of anick in a single strand of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), its binding to the helix for destabilizing the proteins, binding of single-stranded fragment to the rec A protein and then, displacement of the resident strand.

The differences between genetic recombination and crossing over are given as follows:

Gene recombination	Crossing-over
The exchange ofgenetic material between different organisms, which results in the production of anoffspring constituting different traits or combination of traits, is known as genetic recombination.	The process in which the exchange of parts of the genome or genetic materialtakesplace between two identical chromosomes, and non-sister chromatids is called crossing over.
Crossover results in gene recombination.	The pairing of a chromosome leads to crossing over.
It causes genetic variation in the offspring.	Crossing-over exerts recombination between the chromosomes.

Conclusion

Therefore, it can be concluded that genetic recombination is the exchange of genetic material between different organisms. It results in the production of anoffspring constituting different traits or combination of traits. However, crossing over involves the exchange of segments of genetic material between two chromosomes.