allele

American  

[uh-leel] / əˈlil /

noun

Genetics.

1. any of several forms of a gene, usually arising through mutation, that are responsible for hereditary variation.

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allele British  

/ əˈliːl /

noun

1. Also called: allelomorph.  any of two or more variants of a gene that have the same relative position on homologous chromosomes and are responsible for alternative characteristics, such as smooth or wrinkled seeds in peas See also multiple alleles

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allele Scientific  

/ ə-lēl′ /

1. Any of the possible forms in which a gene for a specific trait can occur. In almost all animal cells, two alleles for each gene are inherited, one from each parent. Paired alleles (one on each of two paired chromosomes) that are the same are called homozygous, and those that are different are called heterozygous. In heterozygous pairings, one allele is usually dominant, and the other recessive. Complex traits such as height and longevity are usually caused by the interactions of numerous pairs of alleles, while simple traits such as eye color may be caused by just one pair.

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allele Cultural  

1. The sequence of nucleotides on a DNA molecule that constitutes the form of a gene at a specific spot or a chromosome. There can be several variations of this sequence, and each of these is called an allele. In the case of the gene for eye color, for example, one allele codes for blue eyes, whereas the other may code for brown eyes.

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Other Word Forms

• allelic adjective
• allelism noun
• interallelic adjective
• nonallelic adjective

Etymology

Origin of allele

First recorded in 1930–35; from German Allel, apparently as shortening of German equivalents of allelomorph or allelomorphic gene; allelo-, from Greek allēlo-, combining form of allḗlōn “of/to one another, reciprocally”

Example Sentences

This means that we also receive two copies, or alleles, of each gene -- one allele per chromosome or parent.

From Science Daily • Nov. 29, 2023

Dr. Schaeverbeke points out that while one well-known genetic variant, APOE4, is known to increase amyloid deposits and your risk of Alzheimer's Disease, there is actually another allele that is protective against it.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2023

What if insurers only check for the better-known, risk-increasing allele – or for amyloid plaques, without considering cognitive resilience – and then deny coverage?

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2023

DNA taken from the relatives of missing people will likely be analyzed for short tandem repeat markers and their allele profiles uploaded to the Relatives of Missing Persons index within the database.

From Scientific American • Aug. 25, 2023

Only one allele had asserted itself in the hybrid, forcing the other variant trait to vanish.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee