Allele: meaning, definitions and examples
๐งฌ
allele
[ ษหliหl ]
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 geneโone 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:
๐ต๐น alelo
๐ฎ๐ณ เคเคฒเฅเคฒ
๐ฉ๐ช Allele
๐ฎ๐ฉ alel
๐บ๐ฆ ะฐะปะตะปั
๐ต๐ฑ allel
๐ฏ๐ต ใขใฌใซ
๐ซ๐ท allรจle
๐ช๐ธ alelo
๐น๐ท alel
๐ฐ๐ท ๋๋ฆฝ ์ ์ ์
๐ธ๐ฆ ุฃููู
๐จ๐ฟ alel
๐ธ๐ฐ alel
๐จ๐ณ ็ญไฝๅบๅ
๐ธ๐ฎ alel
๐ฎ๐ธ allel
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะฐะปะปะตะปั
๐ฌ๐ช แแแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ allel
๐ฒ๐ฝ 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.