homozygous
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having identical alleles for a specific gene at corresponding positions on paired chromosomes: In genetics, an organism is described as homozygous when it possesses two identical forms (alleles) of a particular gene, one inherited from each parent, at a given locus on its chromosomes.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The plant is homozygous for the tall stem gene, meaning both alleles are the same.
- To be homozygous for a recessive trait like blue eyes, an individual must inherit the recessive allele from both parents.
- The researcher confirmed the mice were homozygous for the engineered mutation.
Advanced Usage
- Scientific Context: The term is primarily used in genetics, biology, and related fields. It describes the genotype (genetic makeup) of an organism regarding a specific trait.
- The study focused on a population that was homozygous for the wild-type allele.
- Contrast with Heterozygous: Often used in contrast to its opposite, "heterozygous," which means having two different alleles for a gene.
- A homozygous dominant individual (AA) will express the dominant trait, while a heterozygous individual (Aa) may also express it.
Variants and Related Words
- Homozygosity (noun): The state or condition of being homozygous.
- The homozygosity of the population made it susceptible to certain genetic diseases.
- Homozygote (noun): An individual organism that is homozygous for a particular gene.
- This seed will grow into a homozygote for flower color.
Synonyms
- True-breeding (in the context of Mendelian inheritance): Often used to describe homozygous organisms that, when self-fertilized or crossed with a genetically identical partner, produce offspring with the same trait consistently.
Antonyms
- Heterozygous (adjective): Having two different alleles for a specific gene at corresponding chromosomal loci.
Adjective
- having identical alleles at corresponding chromosomal loci
- these two fruit flies are homozygous for red eye color