Multiple Choice
In the context of the fundamentals of genetics, what is the term for a segment of DNA located on a chromosome that contributes to a trait?
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1. Introduction to Genetics
Fundamentals of Genetics
Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an example of a genotype (the allele combination an individual carries for a gene)?
A
Purple flowers
B
Homozygous dominant
C
D
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the difference between genotype and phenotype: A genotype refers to the specific combination of alleles an individual carries for a particular gene, while a phenotype is the observable trait or characteristic resulting from the genotype.
Identify the options given: 'Purple flowers' describes a visible trait (phenotype), 'Homozygous dominant' describes a type of genotype but in words, and the allele combinations like 'Aa' or 'A' represent genotypes in symbolic form.
Recognize that a genotype is best represented by the actual alleles present, such as 'Aa' (heterozygous) or 'AA' (homozygous dominant), rather than descriptive terms or phenotypes.
Note that a single allele symbol like 'A' does not fully represent a genotype because organisms typically have two alleles per gene (one from each parent), so a complete genotype includes both alleles, for example, 'Aa'.
Conclude that the correct example of a genotype is the allele combination 'Aa' because it explicitly shows the two alleles an individual carries for the gene.
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