what is the difference between a dominant trait and a recessive trait?
What is the difference between a dominant trait and a recessive trait?
Answer:
Dominant and recessive traits are terminologies used in genetics to describe the inheritance patterns of certain traits. Here are the main differences between dominant and recessive traits:
Dominant Traits:
- Dominant traits are characteristics that are expressed when a dominant allele is present.
- Dominant alleles are denoted by a capital letter (e.g., T for tall in plants).
- Even when only one copy of the dominant allele is present within a pair of alleles, the dominant trait will be observed in the individual.
- For example, if an individual inherits one allele for brown eyes (dominant) and one for blue eyes (recessive), their eye color will be brown because the dominant allele for brown eyes is expressed.
Recessive Traits:
- Recessive traits are characteristics that are only expressed when two copies of the recessive allele are present.
- Recessive alleles are denoted by a lowercase letter (e.g., t for short in plants).
- If an individual has two copies of the recessive allele, then the recessive trait will be observed.
- For example, if both alleles for eye color are blue (recessive), the individual’s eye color will be blue because the presence of the dominant allele for brown eyes is required to express the brown eye color.
In summary, dominant traits are expressed when at least one dominant allele is present, while recessive traits are expressed only when two copies of the recessive allele are inherited.