Recessive allele

Recessive allele

A recessive allele (/rɪˈsɛsɪv əˈliːl/) is a variant form of a gene that is not expressed, or is masked, when paired with a dominant allele. It is only expressed when two recessive alleles are present, one from each parent.

Etymology

The term "recessive" comes from the Latin word "recessus", which means "withdrawn" or "retreated". The term "allele" is derived from the Greek word "alleon", which means "of each other".

Related terms

• Dominant allele: An allele that is always expressed, even if only one copy is present.
• Homozygous: Having two identical alleles for a particular gene.
• Heterozygous: Having two different alleles for a particular gene.
• Genotype: The genetic makeup of an organism.
• Phenotype: The physical characteristics of an organism, determined by its genotype.
• Genetic inheritance: The process by which genetic information is passed on from parent to offspring.

See also

• Mendelian inheritance
• Genetics
• Molecular biology

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Recessive allele
• Wikipedia's article - Recessive allele

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