The alleles found in haploid organisms cannot be dominant or recessive. Why?
a. Dominance and recessiveness describe which of two possible phenotypes are exhibited when two different alleles occur in the same individual.
b. Because only one allele is present, alleles in haploid organisms are always dominant.
c. Alleles in haploid individuals are transmitted like mitochondrial DNA or chloroplast DNA.
d. Most haploid individuals are bacteria, and bacterial genetics is completely different from eukaryotic genetics.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of dominance and recessiveness: These terms are used to describe the relationship between two alleles in a diploid organism, where one allele can mask the expression of another.
2. Recognize that haploid organisms have only one set of chromosomes, meaning they have only one allele for each gene.
3. Since there is only one allele present in haploid organisms, there is no second allele to compare it to, making the concepts of dominance and recessiveness irrelevant.
4. Consider the definition of dominance and recessiveness: These terms are used when two different alleles are present in the same individual, which is not the case in haploid organisms.
5. Conclude that option (a) is correct because dominance and recessiveness require two alleles to compare, which is not applicable in haploid organisms with only one allele per gene.

Key Concepts

Haploid Organisms

Haploid organisms have a single set of chromosomes, meaning they possess only one allele for each gene. This contrasts with diploid organisms, which have two sets of chromosomes and thus two alleles for each gene. In haploids, the concept of dominance and recessiveness does not apply because there is no allele pair to compare; the single allele present directly determines the phenotype.

Dominance and Recessiveness

Dominance and recessiveness are terms used to describe the relationship between alleles in diploid organisms. When two different alleles are present, the dominant allele's trait is expressed in the phenotype, while the recessive allele's trait is masked. This concept is irrelevant in haploid organisms, as they have only one allele per gene, eliminating the possibility of allele interaction.

Genetic Transmission in Haploids

In haploid organisms, genetic transmission occurs through a single allele per gene, similar to the inheritance patterns seen in organelle DNA like mitochondrial or chloroplast DNA. This means that the genetic information is passed on without the complexity of allele interactions seen in diploid organisms, simplifying the inheritance pattern to a direct transmission of the single allele present.