Question

Who proposed the chromosome theory of inheritance? List the main points of this theory.

Answer 1

The chromosome theory of inheritance was proposed by Sutton and Boveri, and its postulates are as follows:

1. The factors described by Mendel are the genes that are the actual physical units of heredity
2. The genes are present on the chromosomes in a linear fashion
3. Each organism has a fixed number of chromosomes which occur in two sets referred to as diploid.
4. One set is received from the male parent and other from the female parent.
5. The chromosomes and therefore the genes segregate and assort independently at the time of gamete formation as explained in the law of segregation and independent assortment.