Cell cycle and cell division

1. A cell has 32 chromosomes. It undergoes mitotic division. What will be the

chromosome number during metaphase? What will be the number of chromatids per
chromosome during anaphase?

The chromosome number during metaphase will be 32. The number of chromatids per
chromosome during anaphase will be 2.

2. Why two chromatids in a chromosome often become different after meiosis I?

3. What will be the number of chromatids per chromosome in metaphase and anaphase
of meiosis I?

The number of chromatids per chromosome in metaphase and anaphase of meiosis I will be 2.

4. An anther has 1200 pollen grains. How many pollen mother cells must have been
there to produce them?

Three hundred pollen mother cells have to be there to produce 1200 pollen grains. Because one
pollen mother cell will produce four pollen grains.

5. Two key events take place, during S phase in animal cells, DNA replication and
duplication of the centriole. In which parts of the cell do events occur?

DNA replication takes place in nucleus and duplication of centriole occurs in the cytoplasm.

6. Comment on the statement – Meiosis enables the conservation of specific chromosome

number of each species even though the process per se, results in a reduction of
chromosome number.

Meiosis is the mechanism by which conservation of specific chromosome number of each species
is achieved across generations in sexually reproducing organism. Even though the process results
in reduction of chromosome number by half, it is gradually conserved by union of male gamete
(n) and female gamete (n) in next generation.

7. How does cytokinesis in plant cells differ from that in animal cells?

Cytokinesis in plant cells Cytokinesis is animal cells

Cell plate formation starts at the centre of Furrow starts at the periphery and then moves
the cell and grows outward, toward the lateral inward, dividing the cell into two parts.
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walls.
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 8. If a tissue has at a given time 1024 cells, how many cycles of mitosis had the original
parental single cell undergone?

Each cycle producers 2 daughter cells. It is calculated by the formula (2 number of cycles= number of
daughter cells). Ten cycles are required to produce 1024 cells as folows: 210=1024.

9. Given that the average duplication time of E. coli is 20 minutes, how much time will two E.
coli cells take to become 32 cells?

These are the 4 subsequent cell division to produce 16 cells and each division takes = 20 min
Total time =20×4=80 minute or 1 hr 20 minutes
So, 1 cell produces 16 cells in 1 hour 20 minutes and 2 cell produces 32 cells in 1 hour 20 minutes.

10. If 1/8th part of a tube full is filled by bacteria in 20 minutes, what is the total time
required to fill the cup if a bacteria divides in 1 minute?

1/8 part in 20 mins,

20 + 1 = 21 min 1/8 *2 = 2/8 part fill
21 + 1 = 22 min, 2/8 * 2 = 4/8 part fill
22 + 1 = 23 min 4/8 * 2 = 8/8 (Full cup filled)
i.e. It will take 23 mins to fill the whole cup.

12. Bacterial cell divides in every minute it takes one hour to fill up a cup. How much time be
taken to fill half the cup?

59 minutes

11. What attributes does a chromatid require to be classified as a chromosome?

There should be two identical sister chromatids attached at centre by centromere; to be classified
as a chromosome.

12. Bacterium divides every 35 minutes. If a culture containing 105 cells per mL is grown for
175 minutes, what will be the cell concentration per mL after 175 minutes?

As we know that bacterium divides after every 35 minutes through simple mitotic division
therefore number of divisions are 17535=5; Since one bacterium on division produces two cells so
cell cencentration after 175 minutes will be = (2)5 x 105 =32×105.

13. Why daughter cells are not identical in meiosis?

14. What is interkinesis? Mention its importance. What would happen if DNA replicated
during interkinesis?
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 Interkinesis or Intrameiotic Interphase is metabolic stage between telophase of meiosis I and
prophase of mesosis II. Chromosomes are elongated bat chromatin reticulum is not formed. Protein
and RNA synthesis may occur. Centrosomes or centriole pairs undergo replication in animal cells.
However there is no DNA synthesis. It is important for bringing true haploidy (haploidy of DNA
daughter cells.

15. At the end of meiosis I, are the two daughter cells haploid or diploid? If so, how
come meiosis II produces four haploid cells?

They’re haploid at the end of meiosis I because the two members of each homologous pair go to
different daughter cells. The result is two haploid daughter cells. Meiosis II doesn’t change the
chromosome number, but each chromosome then splits into its two chromatids, giving one to each
daughter cell. Thus, the four cells remain haploid.

16. If the number of chromosome in a diploid cell is 26. What will be the number of
bivalents during meiosis I?

The number of bivalent is half the number of the total chromosomes.

17. Both unicellular and multicellular organisms undergo mitosis. What are the
differences, if any, observed in the process between the two?

In unicellular organisms, the type of cell division is known as amitosis in which somatic cell is
divided into two parts directly. In multicellular organisms occurs which is an indirect process.

18. What is G0 (quiescent phase) of cell cycle?

It is the stage of inactivation of cell cycle due to non availability of mitogens and energy rich
compounds. Cells in this quiescent stage remain metabolically active and act as reserve cells of
undergo growth and differentiation for specific function. The cells in quiescent centre of root tip
are in G0 stage

19. What is Chiasmata? State their significance.

They are points of attachment between homologous chromosomes during their separation in
diplotene to metaphase I stage of meiosis. Chiasmata are initially formed in the regions of crossing
over between nonsister chromatids but later on tend to shift sideways.

20. Distinguish between metaphase of mitosis and metaphase 1 of meiosis.

Metaphase of mitosis Metaphase 1 of meiosis

Chromosomes are independent and don’t show Homologous chromosomes are inter-
connections connected. Hence the chromosomes occurs in
pairs or bivalents in metaphase I
Two chromatids of a chromosome are Two chromatids of a chromosome are often
genetically similar genetically different due to crossing over
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 21. Anaphase I of meiosis differs from anaphase of mitosis in one essential way
Describe the difference and explain how it affects the daughter cells.

Anaphase of mitosis Anaphase 1 of meiosis

A centromere splits length-wise to form two
centromeres in the beginning of anaphase
Anaphase chromosomes contain single
chromatid
Similar chromosomes move towards the
opposite poles in anaphase
Centromeres do not divide during anaphase I
Chromosomes contain two chromatids in
anaphase I
Dissimilar chromosomes move towards the
opposite poles in anaphase I

22. Why are multicellular organism require two types of cell division?

In multicellular organisms two types of cell division occurs-Meiosis and Mitosis. Mitosis is
required to produce genetically identical cells. For example, when zygote is formed the full
organism develops by the process of mitosis and each cell is identical in genetic composition.
Meiosis is responsible for the formation of haploid gamete which when fertilize produces zygote
which will form new organism. Thus the two processes are linked to each other and are required
by multicellular organisms for their survival and growth. Meiosis will produce more number of
cells as compared to mitosis. Meiosis produce four haploid cells at a time while single mitosis
produces two cells at a time.

23. Why meiosis is essential in sexually reproducing organisms?

During sexual reproduction, meiosis generates genetic variation in offspring because the process
randomly shuffles genes across chromosomes and then randomly separates half of those
chromosomes into each gamete. The two gametes then randomly fuse to form a new organism.
Meiosis reduces the chromosomes to half as it is followed by fertilization which restores diploidy.
If in this gametes are formed by mitosis and not by meiosis, then the gametes will be diploid which
will result tetraploidy after their fusion during fertilization II

24. Analyse the events during every stage of cell cycle and notice how the following
two parameters change (1) Number of chromosomes (N) per cell (1) Amount of DNA
content (C) per cell

The number of chromosomes and amount of DNA are changed in anaphase and S phase
respectively.
(i) In S phase, number of chromosomes remain same but each chromosome replicates so that it
comes to have two chromatids. Due to this the DNA contents doubles from 1C to 2C or 2C to 4C
depending upon haploid/diploid nature of cell
(ii) In Anaphase. In mitotic anaphase, number of chromosome remains the same. It is only sister
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chromatids which move towards their respective poles DNA contents remain unchanged in
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 Anaphase-1 of meiosis, number of chromosomes are reduced to half, i.e., from 2nto 1n DNA
contents decrease to one half in Anaphase-II of Meiosis-II from 2C to 1C.

25. What are the difference between Meiosis II and Mitosis although both are
equational division?

Meiosis II is not mitosis because (i) It always occurs in haploid cells (ii) It is not preceded by DNA
replication. (iii) The two chromatids of a chromosome are often dissimilar (iv) The daughter cells
formed after meiosis II are neither similar to each other or similar to the parent cell

26. What is the significance of Meiosis II?

The main function of homeotypic division or meiosis II is to separate the chromatids of univalent
chromosomes which differ from each other in their linkage groups due to crossing over. Meiosis
II is divisible into prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.
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Dr. Subrata Kundu / CBSE Class 11 / subrata@rkmvccrahara.org