If a lowercase letter (recessive alle) comes before the uppercase letter (dominant alle) what is the genotype? Can someone help me understand this with good details.
Sure! To understand the genotype when a lowercase letter (recessive allele) comes before an uppercase letter (dominant allele), we need to consider the concept of alleles and how they are represented.
Alleles are different versions of a gene that determine specific traits or characteristics. They can have dominant or recessive effects, meaning that one allele may override or mask the expression of another. In genetics, dominant alleles are represented by uppercase letters, while recessive alleles are represented by lowercase letters.
When it comes to the genotype, it refers to the genetic makeup of an individual for a particular trait. Genotypes are typically composed of two alleles, one inherited from each parent. The alleles can be either homozygous (having two copies of the same allele, either dominant or recessive) or heterozygous (having one dominant and one recessive allele).
Returning to your question, if a lowercase letter (recessive allele) comes before the uppercase letter (dominant allele) in the genotype, it indicates heterozygosity. In this case, the individual inherits one copy of the dominant allele and one copy of the recessive allele. Since the uppercase letter represents the dominant allele, it means that the dominant gene will be expressed or observed phenotypically, while the recessive allele remains hidden or unexpressed.
To summarize, a genotype with a lowercase letter followed by an uppercase letter signifies that the individual is heterozygous, with one dominant and one recessive allele. The dominant allele will determine the observed trait, while the recessive allele will not be expressed in the phenotype. It is important to note that the actual trait being referred to should be specified to provide a more accurate response.