A daughter cell is created by meiosis I and the first round of cytokinesis. This daughter cell is just beginning meiosis II. Which of the following is an appropriate description of this daughter cell's genetic contents?

• A. It has half the amount of DNA as the parent cell.
• B. It has half the chromosomes but twice the DNA of the parent cell.
• C. It has one-fourth the DNA and one-half the chromosomes as the parent cell.
• D. It is genetically identical to the parent cell.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process of meiosis: Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four daughter cells. It consists of two stages: meiosis I and meiosis II.
2. Analyze meiosis I: During meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated, resulting in daughter cells that have half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. This is known as reductional division.
3. Consider the genetic content after meiosis I: After meiosis I and the first round of cytokinesis, each daughter cell has half the number of chromosomes compared to the parent cell. However, each chromosome consists of two sister chromatids, meaning the DNA content is still similar to the parent cell.
4. Prepare for meiosis II: Meiosis II is similar to mitosis, where sister chromatids are separated. The daughter cells from meiosis I enter meiosis II with half the chromosomes but the same amount of DNA as the parent cell.
5. Evaluate the options: The correct description of the daughter cell's genetic contents at the beginning of meiosis II is that it has half the chromosomes but the same amount of DNA as the parent cell, since the DNA has not yet been divided into separate chromatids.