recessive allele
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A form of a gene whose phenotypic effect is masked by a dominant allele: A recessive allele is a variant of a gene that will only be expressed in an organism's observable traits (its phenotype) if the individual has two copies of that allele (one from each parent). If paired with a different, dominant allele, the recessive allele's trait will not be visible.
Usage
The term is used in the field of genetics to describe the inheritance pattern of specific traits. * The gene for blue eye color is a recessive allele. * For a child to have cystic fibrosis, they must inherit a recessive allele from both parents. * The plant carried the recessive allele for white flowers, but it displayed purple flowers because of the dominant allele.
Advanced Usage
- Carrier: An individual who possesses one copy of a recessive allele for a genetic disorder but does not exhibit the disorder because they also have a dominant, healthy allele. They can pass the recessive allele to their offspring.
- Both parents were carriers of the recessive allele, leading to a 25% chance their child would have the condition.
Variants and Related Words
- Recessive (adjective): Describing the quality of an allele that is masked by a dominant allele.
- The trait is recessive and requires two copies of the gene to appear.
- Dominant allele (noun): The contrasting form; an allele that produces its phenotypic effect even when paired with a different, recessive allele.
- Allele (noun): One of two or more alternative forms of a gene found at the same place on a chromosome.
Synonyms
- Recessive gene
Related Concepts
- Homozygous recessive: A genetic condition where an individual has two identical copies of a recessive allele for a particular gene.
- Only individuals who are homozygous recessive for the trait will express it.
- Mendelian inheritance: The pattern of inheritance for traits affected by single genes with dominant and recessive alleles, as described by Gregor Mendel.
Noun
- an allele that produces its characteristic phenotype only when its paired allele is identical