HETEROZYGOTE Meaning and
Definition
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A heterozygote is an individual possessing two different alleles at a specific gene locus - one inherited from each parent. Alleles are alternate forms of a gene that determine specific traits or characteristics of an organism. Heterozygosity refers to the genetic property of having two different alleles at a particular locus.
In diploid organisms, such as humans, genes are present in pairs and can have either the same (homozygous) or different (heterozygous) alleles. When a heterozygote has two different alleles, one allele is usually dominant and determines the observed trait, while the other allele is recessive and does not have an effect on the phenotype. However, there are cases where both alleles contribute to the phenotype, resulting in co-dominance or incomplete dominance.
Heterozygotes are important in genetic studies as they can pass either of their two alleles to their offspring, increasing genetic variation within a population. This genetic diversity is crucial for species' adaptation, as it provides a wider range of potential traits and responses to changing environmental conditions.
Overall, a heterozygote is an organism with two different alleles at a specific gene locus, which helps maintain genetic diversity and contributes to the variability and adaptability of a population.
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1. An individual containing both allelomorphs and producing germ-cells bearing one and the other respectively, being, therefore, hybrid in respect of that pair of allelomorphic characters. 2. A zygote produced by the union of two dissimilar gametes of different stock.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for HETEROZYGOTE
Etymology of HETEROZYGOTE
The word "heterozygote" is derived from the combination of two Greek words: "hetero" meaning "different" or "other", and "zygote" meaning "a cell formed by the union of two gametes".
In biology, specifically genetics, a heterozygote refers to an individual organism that has inherited different alleles (alternative forms of a gene) for a specific trait from its two parents. This term is often used to describe the genotype of a diploid organism, where its two alleles for a particular gene may be different (heterozygous) or the same (homozygous).
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