What is an Allele?
Trait
A characteristic that an organism can pass on to its offspring through its genes.
Recessive Allele
An allele that is masked when a dominant allele is present
Dominant Allele
An allele whose trait always shows up in the organism when the allele is present.
Genotype
An organism's genetic makeup or allele combinations
Phenotype
An organism's physical appearance, or visible traits.
Homozygous
Describes an organism that has two identical alleles for a trait
Heterozygous
Describes an organism with two different alleles for a trait.
Allele
Different forms of the same gene. A variation of a gene's nucleotide sequence (an alternative form of a gene).
Inheritance
The process by which physical and biological characteristics are transmitted from the parent (or parents) to the offspring