An allele that is expressed in the phenotype whenever present describes which term?

An allele that is expressed in the phenotype whenever present describes which term?

• A. Dominant
• B. Recessive
• C. Allele
• D. Genotype

Answer: (A)

Dominant describes an allele whose effect on the phenotype is seen whenever that allele is present, even if the other chromosome has a different allele. In a heterozygous organism, the dominant allele determines the trait, masking the recessive one. Only if both copies are the recessive version does the recessive trait appear. For example, in many organisms the tall-height allele is dominant over the short-height allele, so a plant with one tall and one short allele grows tall. This is why the term described is dominant.

Dominant describes an allele whose effect on the phenotype is seen whenever that allele is present, even if the other chromosome has a different allele. In a heterozygous organism, the dominant allele determines the trait, masking the recessive one. Only if both copies are the recessive version does the recessive trait appear. For example, in many organisms the tall-height allele is dominant over the short-height allele, so a plant with one tall and one short allele grows tall. This is why the term described is dominant.