alleles
Paired genetic alternatives
Alleles are variant forms of a gene occupying the same position on a chromosome.
Humans inherit two alleles for each gene—one from each parent—which may be identical or different.
When alleles differ, one may be dominant and expressed while the other is recessive: She carries two alleles for eye color, one from each parent.
The term appears constantly in genetics discussions of inheritance, disease risk, and trait variation.
Having superior influence
- recessiveMasked unless paired identically
- homozygousHaving identical alleles
- heterozygousHaving unlike gene variants
- Punnett squareHeredity prediction diagram
Mendelian · heredity · pedigree · filial · monohybrid · carrier · codominance · incomplete dominance
Hereditary code molecule
- chromosomesGene-bearing nuclear structures
- lociPositions or places
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
- geneHereditary information unit
nucleotide · gene pool · genomics · meiosis · homologous · transcription · replication · sequencing
Many forms, one interface
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
- diversityState of varied elements
- heterogeneityState of being dissimilar
- variabilityTendency to change
divergence · copy number · insertion · deletion · substitution · frameshift · point mutation · nonsense
Distinguishing personal quality
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- characteristicDistinguishing quality or trait
- markerSomething that signals location
- manifestationOutward display of something
penetrance · expressivity · polygenic · multifactorial · observable · morphology · pigmentation · blood type
Species' total genetic diversity
- genetic driftRandom allele frequency change
- selection pressureForce favoring certain traits
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
- migrationMovement to new territory
gene flow · fixation · equilibrium · natural selection · fitness · adaptation · microevolution
dominant
Having superior influence
- recessiveMasked unless paired identically
- homozygousHaving identical alleles
- heterozygousHaving unlike gene variants
Punnett square · Mendelian · heredity · pedigree · filial · monohybrid · carrier · codominance · incomplete dominance · sex-linked
DNA
Hereditary code molecule
- chromosomesGene-bearing nuclear structures
- lociPositions or places
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
gene · nucleotide · gene pool · genomics · meiosis · homologous · transcription · replication · sequencing · codon
polymorphism
Many forms, one interface
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
- diversityState of varied elements
- heterogeneityState of being dissimilar
variability · divergence · copy number · insertion · deletion · substitution · frameshift · point mutation · nonsense · variant
trait
Distinguishing personal quality
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- characteristicDistinguishing quality or trait
- markerSomething that signals location
manifestation · penetrance · expressivity · polygenic · multifactorial · observable · morphology · pigmentation · blood type · eye color
gene pool
Species' total genetic diversity
- genetic driftRandom allele frequency change
- selection pressureForce favoring certain traits
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
migration · gene flow · fixation · equilibrium · natural selection · fitness · adaptation · microevolution
- biologycells, DNA, cell, biology, gene
- evolutionevolution, natural selection, mutation, adaptation, speciation
- reproductionreproduction, birth, baby, egg, sperm
- hereditygenes, DNA, gene, chromosomes, genetics
- Human Developmentgrowth, heredity, aging, genetics, puberty
- geneticsDNA, genotype, genes, gene, chromosomes
- dominant alleleTrait-expressing gene variant