Define each of the following terms:

genotype

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that 'genotype' refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the alleles present at a given set of loci.
2. Recognize that genotypes are often represented by letters, where each letter represents a different allele. For example, 'AA', 'Aa', or 'aa' could represent different genotypes for a single gene.
3. Consider that the genotype determines the potential traits (phenotype) an organism can express, but the environment can also influence the phenotype.
4. Remember that genotypes can be homozygous (two identical alleles, e.g., 'AA' or 'aa') or heterozygous (two different alleles, e.g., 'Aa').
5. Reflect on how genotypes are inherited from parents, with each parent contributing one allele to the offspring's genotype.

Key Concepts

Genotype

The genotype refers to the genetic constitution of an organism, encompassing all the alleles inherited from its parents. It determines the potential traits that an organism can express, although not all genotypes are phenotypically visible. For example, an individual may carry alleles for a trait that are not expressed due to dominance or environmental factors.

Alleles

Alleles are different versions of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome. Each individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent, which can be identical (homozygous) or different (heterozygous). The combination of these alleles contributes to the organism's genotype and can influence its phenotype.

Phenotype

The phenotype is the observable physical and physiological traits of an organism, which result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. While the genotype provides the genetic blueprint, the phenotype reflects how these genes are expressed in a given environment. For instance, two plants with the same genotype may exhibit different heights if grown in varying soil conditions.