BIO question! Please help!

Question

Cells of the accessory gland in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster are binucleate, meaning they have two nuclei in one cytoplasm. Each nucleus has the normal amount of DNA expected in a fruit fly cell. What could have resulted in the production of these binucleate cells?

DNA replication took place, but mitosis and cytokinesis were skipped

DNA was not replicated and mitosis and cytokinesis were skipped

DNA replication and cytokinesis took place, but mitosis was skipped

DNA was not replicated, mitosis took place, but cytokinesis was skipped

DNA replication and mitosis took place, but cytokinesis was skipped

Answer 1

Hi Iris. Good question! Consider what each of the steps mean in terms of cellular division. DNA is replicated during the synthesis phase of interphase, and then separated into two new nuclei during mitosis. Cytokinesis is the division of the cytoplasmic portion of the cell, resulting in two new daughter cells, each with their own nuclei.

If you have two nuclei (each with the same amount of DNA), but lack two daughter cells, what step did you miss?

-> DNA replication and mitosis took place, but cytokinesis was skipped