Genetic linkage

Genetic linkage is the tendency of nearby genes or genetic markers on the same chromosome to be inherited together. Recombination can separate them, with separation becoming more likely as the distance between them increases.

Meiosis: Meiosis is cell division that produces haploid cells through two rounds of division and one round of DNA replication. Linkage is observed as chromosomes pair and recombine during meiosis.
Gene: A gene is a DNA sequence whose expression or function contributes to a biological product or trait. Linkage concerns how different genes are transmitted together.
Linkage analysis: Linkage analysis uses co-inheritance patterns in families to test whether genetic markers and a trait-associated locus are near one another. It applies linkage to localize inherited disease genes.
Linkage disequilibrium: Linkage disequilibrium is the nonrandom association of alleles at different loci in a population. It is a population-level association shaped by, but not identical to, chromosomal linkage.
Crossing over: Crossing over is the exchange of DNA between homologous chromosomes during meiosis. It breaks linkage when an exchange occurs between two loci.
Locus: A locus is a specific position or region in a genome. Linkage describes the co-inheritance of loci positioned on the same chromosome.
Genetic marker: A genetic marker is a detectable DNA variant or feature used to track a genomic region. Markers reveal whether nearby regions are transmitted with a trait.
Independent assortment: Independent assortment is the segregation of alleles at different chromosome pairs independently during gamete formation. It contrasts with linked loci, which tend to be inherited together.
Homologous recombination: Homologous recombination is DNA exchange or repair guided by matching or similar sequences. Meiotic crossing over is the recombination process that separates linked loci.
Allele: An allele is one of the alternative forms of a DNA sequence at a genomic locus. Linked alleles form combinations whose inheritance can be tracked.

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