3.31: Understand How Random Fertilisation Produces Genetic Variation of Offspring

GENETIC VARIATION: Difference in DNA Sequence of Individual offsprings from the same parent or species

• Genetic variation in offsprings are a result of random fertilisation, meiosis and mutations
• With meiosis resulting in genetically distinct gametes (see 3.30), the random fertilisation of an Egg cell by a single Sperm (out of over millions of Sperm cells) will further produce genetically distinct Zygotes
• As a result, offsprings will show increased genetic variation

• Genetic variation may also result from mutation, involving a change in DNA sequence to produce new Alleles for a specific trait