Genotype

The genotype of an organism is its complete set of genetic material.[1] Genotype can also be used to refer to the alleles or variants an individual carries in a particular gene or genetic location.[2] The number of alleles an individual can have in a specific gene depends on the number of copies of each chromosome found in that species, also referred to as ploidy. In diploid species like humans, two full sets of chromosomes are present, meaning each individual has two alleles for any given gene. If both alleles are the same, the genotype is referred to as homozygous. If the alleles are different, the genotype is referred to as heterozygous.

Genotype contributes to phenotype, the observable traits and characteristics in an individual or organism.[3] The degree to which genotype affects phenotype depends on the trait. For example, the petal color in a pea plant is exclusively determined by genotype. The petals can be purple or white depending on the alleles present in the pea plant.[4] However, other traits are only partially influenced by genotype. These traits are often called complex traits because they are influenced by additional factors, such as environmental and epigenetic factors. Not all individuals with the same genotype look or act the same way because appearance and behavior are modified by environmental and growing conditions. Likewise, not all organisms that look alike necessarily have the same genotype.

The term genotype was coined by the Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen in 1903.[5]

  1. ^ "What is genotype? What is phenotype? – pgEd". pged.org. Retrieved 2020-06-22.
  2. ^ "Genotype". Genome.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  3. ^ Pierce, Benjamin (2020). Genetics A Conceptual Approach. NY, New York: Macmillian. ISBN 978-1-319-29714-5.
  4. ^ Alberts B, Bray D, Hopkin K, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Walter P (2014). Essential Cell Biology (4th ed.). New York, NY: Garland Science. p. 659. ISBN 978-0-8153-4454-4.
  5. ^ Johannsen W (1903). "Om arvelighed i samfund og i rene linier". Oversigt Birdy over Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Forhandlingerm (in Danish). 3: 247–70. German ed. "Erblichkeit in Populationen und in reinen Linien" (in German). Jena: Gustav Fischer. 1903. Archived from the original on 2009-05-30. Retrieved 2017-07-19.. Also see his monograph Johannsen W (1905). Arvelighedslærens elementer horse [The Elements of Heredity] (in Danish). Copenhagen.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) which was rewritten, enlarged and translated into French as Johannsen W (1905). Elemente der exakten Erblichkeitslehre (in German). Jena: Gustav Fischer. Archived from the original on 2009-05-30. Retrieved 2017-07-19.

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