Expressivity
Expressivity
Expressivity (/ɪkˌsprɛsɪˈvɪti/) is a term used in genetics to describe the degree to which a genotype is expressed in the phenotype of an organism.
Etymology
The term "expressivity" is derived from the Latin word "expressus", which means "to press out" or "to express". In the context of genetics, it refers to the extent to which a genetic trait is expressed in an individual.
Definition
Expressivity can vary between individuals with the same genotype. This variation can be due to environmental factors, interactions between genes, or random events during development. For example, a person with a genetic mutation that causes a disease may show severe symptoms, while another person with the same mutation may show mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. This is due to differences in expressivity.
Related Terms
- Penetrance: This is the proportion of individuals with a particular genotype that actually shows the phenotype associated with the genotype. It is closely related to expressivity, but while expressivity refers to the degree of expression in an individual, penetrance refers to the proportion of individuals in a population that show the phenotype.
- Genotype: This is the genetic makeup of an individual. It determines the potential physical characteristics (phenotype) that an individual can develop.
- Phenotype: This is the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
- Mutation: This is a change in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene. Mutations can lead to variations in the phenotype.
- Gene: This is a unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.
- Genetic trait: This is a characteristic or attribute that is genetically determined.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Expressivity
- Wikipedia's article - Expressivity
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