Question

What is a heterozygous genotype?

Answer 1

Heterozygous genotype:

1. The presence of two different alleles at a single locus is known as a heterozygous genotype.
2. Each individual carries two variations of gene one from the biological mother and the second from the biological father.
3. These variations are known as alleles.
4. The whole genetic material carried by an individual governs all the characteristics and properties along with his life is known as genotype.
5. Genotype can be of two types depending upon the similarity and differences in alleles sequence.
6. If both the alleles inherited from the father and mother encode for the same protein then the individual has a homozygous genotype.
7. However, if the inherited alleles have different sequences and thus encode for different proteins the individual is said to have a heterozygous genotype.

Example of heterozygous genotype:

1. In heterozygous genotype, two different alleles interact with each other to govern the phenotype of a person.
2. Among the two alleles, the allele expressing itself more strongly is known as the dominant allele while the second one is being masked by the dominant allele is known as the recessive allele.

Heterozygous genotype can be of different types:

Complete dominance:

1. In complete dominance, the dominant allele completely obscures the recessive allele.
2. The recessive allele is not expressed at all.
3. One example is eye color, which is controlled by multiple genes.

Incomplete dominance:

1. Incomplete dominance occurs if the dominant allele does not reverse recessive.
2. Instead, they mix to create a third feature.
3. This type of predominance is often found in the texture of hair.

Codominance:

1. Codominance occurs when both alleles are present at the same time.
2. But they don't mix.
3. Both properties are pronounced equally.
4. Blood type AB is an example of co-dominance.
5. In this case, there is one allele for blood group A and one for blood group B.
6. Instead of mixing and creating a third blood group, both alleles create both blood groups.
7. This will produce type AB blood.