NEET2026BiologyChapterActual
Identify the key difference between Anaphase I and Anaphase II during meiotic cell division.
Options
- AHomologous chromosomes separate in Anaphase II, whereas sister chromatids separate in Anaphase I.
- BThe splitting of centromeres occurs in Anaphase II, whereas it does not occur in Anaphase I.
- CSpindle fibres attach to the kinetochores in Anaphase I, but they attach directly to the telomeres in Anaphase
- DThe chromosome number is reduced to half during Anaphase II, whereas it remains the same during Anaphase I.
Correct answer
B. The splitting of centromeres occurs in Anaphase II, whereas it does not occur in Anaphase I.
Step-by-step solution
During Anaphase I of meiosis, homologous chromosomes separate and move towards opposite poles, but the sister chromatids remain attached at their centromeres. Therefore, the splitting of centromeres does not occur in Anaphase I. During Anaphase II, the centromeres of each chromosome split, allowing the sister chromatids to separate and move towards opposite poles. Thus, the key difference is that the splitting of centromeres occurs in Anaphase II, whereas it does not occur in Anaphase I. Answer: The splitting of ce