Allele: meaning, definitions and examples

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allele

 

[ ษ™หˆliหl ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

genetics

An allele is a variant form of a gene that is located at a specific position on a specific chromosome. Alleles can result in different traits or characteristics, such as eye color or hair texture. In diploid organisms, which have two sets of chromosomes, an individual may have up to two alleles for a given geneโ€”one inherited from each parent. Alleles can be dominant or recessive; the expression of a trait depends on the combination of these alleles present in the organism.

Synonyms

gene type, gene variant

Examples of usage

  • The allele for brown eyes is dominant over the allele for blue eyes.
  • Studying alleles helps us understand genetic diversity.
  • An individual can be homozygous or heterozygous for a particular allele.

Translations

Translations of the word "allele" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น alelo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคเคฒเฅ‡เคฒ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Allele

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ alel

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฐะปะตะปัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ allel

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚ขใƒฌใƒซ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท allรจle

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ alelo

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท alel

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋Œ€๋ฆฝ ์œ ์ „์ž

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุฃู„ูŠู„

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ alel

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ alel

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ็ญ‰ไฝๅŸบๅ› 

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ alel

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ allel

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฐะปะปะตะปัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒแƒšแƒ”แƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ allel

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ alelo

Word origin

The term 'allele' was first used in the early 20th century, deriving from the Greek word 'allelos', which means 'of each other' or 'one another'. This was in reference to the alternative forms of a gene that can reside at the same locus on homologous chromosomes. The study of alleles became a significant aspect of genetics, particularly after Gregor Mendel's experiments in the 19th century with pea plants, which laid the groundwork for our understanding of inheritance. The concept has evolved significantly since then, especially with advancements in molecular biology and genomics, allowing scientists to explore the complexities of alleles in greater detail.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,415, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.