heterozygote
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of heterozygote
Explanation
A heterozygote is a living thing that has two different versions of a given gene. If a cat inherits a gene for black fur from its mother and one for gray fur from its father, it is a heterozygote. The different forms of a gene are called alleles. Organisms inherit one allele for each gene from their biological parents. If those genes are different — e.g., one for gray fur, and one for black fur — the offspring is a heterozygote with respect to fur color. What color fur will a heterozygous cat have? It depends on which gene is dominant. Since the gene for black fur is dominant, the cat would be black. However, the cat could pass on the non-dominant, or recessive, gene to its offspring.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The dominant lethal inheritance pattern is one in which an allele is lethal both in the homozygote and the heterozygote; this allele can only be transmitted if the lethality phenotype occurs after reproductive age.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
Incomplete dominance describes situations in which the heterozygote exhibits a phenotype that is intermediate between the homozygous phenotypes.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
Codominance describes the simultaneous expression of both of the alleles in the heterozygote.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
Mendel’s law of dominance states that in a heterozygote, one trait will conceal the presence of another trait for the same characteristic.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013
When the latter occurs there would be no segregation and the heterozygote would breed true.
From Hormones and Heredity by J. T. Cunningham
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