Question

the parent cell that enters meiosis is diploid, whereas the four daughter cells that result are haploid. which statement correctly describes how cellular dna content and ploidy levels change during meiosis i and meiosis ii? view available hint(s) dna content is halved only in meiosis i. ploidy level changes from diploid to haploid in meiosis i, and remains haploid in meiosis ii. dna content is halved only in meiosis i. ploidy level changes from diploid to haploid only in meiosis ii. dna content is halved only in meiosis ii. ploidy level changes from diploid to haploid in meiosis i, and remains haploid in meiosis ii. dna content is halved in both meiosis i and meiosis ii. ploidy level changes from diploid to haploid only in meiosis ii. dna content is halved in both meiosis i and meiosis ii. ploidy level changes from diploid to haploid in meiosis i, and remains haploid in meiosis ii.

Explanation:

• Meiosis I:
• DNA content: DNA is replicated before meiosis I (during interphase). In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes separate. Each daughter cell after meiosis I gets half of the DNA content of the parent cell (because homologous chromosomes, each with two sister - chromatids, are separated).
• Ploidy level: The parent cell is diploid (\(2n\)). After meiosis I, since homologous chromosomes are separated, the daughter cells are haploid (\(n\)).
• Meiosis II:
• DNA content: In meiosis II, sister - chromatids separate. Each of the two daughter cells from meiosis I divides again. Since sister - chromatids (which are copies of a single chromosome) are separated, the DNA content is halved again (relative to the cell entering meiosis II). So overall, DNA content is halved in both meiosis I (due to homologous chromosome separation) and meiosis II (due to sister - chromatid separation).
• Ploidy level: The cells entering meiosis II are haploid. When sister - chromatids separate in meiosis II, the ploidy level remains haploid (because the number of sets of chromosomes does not change; sister - chromatids are part of the same set of chromosomes in a haploid cell context).

Answer:

DNA content is halved in both meiosis I and meiosis II. Ploidy level changes from diploid to haploid in meiosis I, and remains haploid in meiosis II.