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what is the difference between homozygous and heterozygous

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Homozygous and heterozygous are terms used to describe the genetic makeup of an organism with respect to a specific gene.

  1. Homozygous: This term refers to when an organism has two identical alleles for a particular gene. For example, if an organism has two alleles that are both dominant (AA) or both recessive (aa), it is considered homozygous for that gene.

  2. Heterozygous: This term refers to an organism that has two different alleles for a particular gene. For instance, if an organism has one dominant allele and one recessive allele (Aa), it is considered heterozygous for that gene.

In summary, the key difference lies in the allele composition:

  • Homozygous = same alleles (AA or aa)
  • Heterozygous = different alleles (Aa)