HOMOZYGOSIS Meaning and
Definition
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Homozygosis refers to a genetic condition in which an individual possesses two identical copies or alleles of a specific gene. It occurs when both copies of a particular gene, one inherited from each parent, are the same variant. These identical alleles can be either dominant or recessive.
Homozygosis can be regarded as the opposite of heterozygosis, where an individual carries two different alleles for a particular gene. Homozygosity can occur naturally or be intentionally induced through selective breeding or genetic manipulation.
In a homozygous state, the expressed trait or characteristic encoded by the gene is determined solely by these identical alleles. If the gene carries a dominant allele, the individual will exhibit the related trait, while in the case of a recessive allele, the recessive trait will be displayed. This type of genetic inheritance is essential in understanding various genetic disorders and hereditary diseases.
Homozygosis is highly relevant in the field of genetics and plays a crucial role in studying inheritance patterns, population genetics, and determining disease susceptibility or carrier states. Genetic counselors often analyze the likelihood of homozygous alleles when assessing the risks of hereditary disorders in families. It is also a fundamental concept in plant and animal breeding to maximize desired traits by selectively breeding individuals with homozygous alleles.
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The formation of a zygote by like gametes.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for HOMOZYGOSIS
- homozygosas
- homozygosms
- homozygoshs
- homozygosi3
- homozygosic
- homozygosiq
- homozygosir
- hoemozygosis
- h omozygosis
- ho mozygosis
- hom ozygosis
- homo zygosis
- homoz ygosis
- homozy gosis
- homozyg osis
- homozygo sis
- homozygos is
- homozygosi s
Etymology of HOMOZYGOSIS
The word "homozygosis" is derived from two main components: "homozygous" and the suffix "-osis".
1. Homozygous:
- The term "homozygous" is composed of the Greek roots "homo", meaning the same or identical, and "zygous", referring to a gene pair.
- The fusion of "homo" and "zygous" reflects the concept of having two identical alleles of a particular gene at the corresponding loci on homologous chromosomes.
- Therefore, "homozygous" refers to the condition in which an individual possesses two identical alleles for a specific trait.
2. -Osis:
- "-Osis" is a suffix of Greek origin commonly used in medical and scientific terms.
- It generally denotes a state, condition, or process related to the base word.
