RECESSIVE ALLELE Meaning and
Definition
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A recessive allele refers to a specific variant of a gene that does not manifest its phenotypic effects in the presence of a dominant allele. In genetics, alleles are alternate forms of a gene that can occupy the same locus on a chromosome. Each individual inherits two alleles for every gene, one from each parent.
In the context of recessive alleles, they are expressed phenotypically only when an individual possesses two copies of the recessive allele. The presence of a recessive allele is typically represented by a lowercase letter, while the corresponding dominant allele is represented by an uppercase letter.
In a heterozygous individual, where one copy of the recessive allele is paired with one copy of the dominant allele, the dominant allele will exert its phenotypic traits, masking the potential expression of the recessive allele. However, when an individual inherits two copies of the recessive allele, there is no dominant counterpart to override its effect, allowing the recessive allele to be expressed in the phenotype.
Recessive alleles often lead to uncommon or unusual traits or characteristics, as they need a specific genetic combination to be visibly apparent. Inheritance patterns involving recessive alleles often follow predictable rules, such as Mendelian genetics, which can aid in predicting the likelihood of certain traits appearing in future generations.
Common Misspellings for RECESSIVE ALLELE
- eecessive allele
- decessive allele
- fecessive allele
- tecessive allele
- 5ecessive allele
- 4ecessive allele
- rwcessive allele
- rscessive allele
- rdcessive allele
- rrcessive allele
- r4cessive allele
- r3cessive allele
- rexessive allele
- revessive allele
- refessive allele
- redessive allele
- recwssive allele
- recsssive allele
- recdssive allele
- recrssive allele
Etymology of RECESSIVE ALLELE
The word "recessive" originates from the Latin word "recedere", which means "to go back" or "to recede". The term "allele" comes from the Greek word "allelon", meaning "of one another" or "one another". In the context of genetics, an allele represents one of the alternative forms of a gene that occurs at a specific location on a chromosome.
The term "recessive allele" emerged in the field of genetics to describe an allele that has a diminished effect on an individual's phenotype when paired with a dominant allele. This diminished effect is due to the fact that the dominant allele masks the expression of the recessive allele. The etymology of "recessive allele" reflects these concepts, combining the notion of "going back" or being suppressed with the idea of alternative forms interacting with one another.
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