Table of Contents
1. What is an Allele?
An allele is one of two or more versions of a gene. An individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent. If the two alleles are the same, the individual is homozygous for that gene. If the alleles are different, the individual is heterozygous.
2. What is a Dominant Allele?
A dominant allele is an allele that is fully expressed in the phenotype of an organism when present. For example, if one allele for a gene codes for the trait of having brown eyes and the other allele codes for blue eyes, the brown eye allele is dominant and will be expressed in the individual’s phenotype.
3. What is a Recessive Allele?
A recessive allele is an allele that is not expressed in the phenotype of an organism when present. For example, if one allele for a gene codes for the trait of having brown eyes and the other allele codes for blue eyes, the blue eye allele is recessive and will not be expressed in the individual’s phenotype.
4. How Many Alleles Can a Gene Have?
A gene can have two or more alleles that code for different traits. For example, a gene that codes for eye color can have two alleles, one that codes for brown eyes and one that codes for blue eyes.
5. What is Allele Frequency?
Allele frequency is the relative proportion of a particular allele in a population. It is calculated by dividing the number of copies of a particular allele in a population by the total number of alleles in the population.
6. What is Allelic Heterogeneity?
Allelic heterogeneity is the presence of multiple alleles at a single genetic locus. This can lead to variations in the phenotype of an organism.
7. What is an Allele Substitution?
An allele substitution is the replacement of one allele with another at a single genetic locus. This can result in a change in the phenotype of an organism.
8. What is Allele Specific Expression (ASE)?
Allele specific expression (ASE) is the preferential expression of one allele over another in a heterozygous individual. This can result in differences in phenotype due to the expression of different alleles.
9. What is an Allelic Imbalance?
An allelic imbalance is an unequal representation of an allele in a heterozygous individual. This can occur due to preferential expression of one allele or due to genetic or environmental factors.
10. What is a Polymorphic Allele?
A polymorphic allele is an allele that is present in more than 1% of a population. These alleles can result in variations in phenotype due to the presence of different alleles in a population.