Which answer best fits the question
Answers:
A) an allele that is expressed whenever it is present.
B) an observable trait.
C) a trait that is expressed in a homozygous individual.
D) the set of alleles an organism has for a trait.
Question:
An organism’s genotype is
D) the set of alleles an organism has for a trait.
D) the set of alleles an organism has for a trait.
To determine the best answer, let's first understand the meaning of the term "genotype”.
The genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the combination of alleles an organism has for a particular trait. Alleles are alternative forms of a gene that determine the variations of a trait.
Option D, "the set of alleles an organism has for a trait," correctly describes the genotype. It is the combination of alleles present in an individual's genes for a particular trait.
Option A, "an allele that is expressed whenever it is present," refers to the concept of dominant alleles. Dominant alleles are expressed in the phenotype (observable traits) whenever they are present.
Option B, "an observable trait," refers to the phenotype, which is the physical expression of the genotype. While the phenotype is associated with observable traits, the question specifically asks about the genotype.
Option C, "a trait that is expressed in a homozygous individual," inaccurately describes the genotype. Homozygous individuals have two identical alleles for a particular trait, but the genotype encompasses all possible alleles an organism possesses, not just those of homozygous individuals.
Therefore, the correct answer is option D, "the set of alleles an organism has for a trait."