how are the terms homzygous and heterozygous different?

Answer 1

The terms "homozygous" and "heterozygous" describe the genetic makeup or alleles an individual possesses for a particular trait. The key difference lies in the combination of alleles at a specific locus or gene.

Homozygous refers to having two identical alleles for a particular gene. There are two types of homozygosity: homozygous dominant (AA) and homozygous recessive (aa). In homozygous dominant individuals, both alleles are dominant, meaning the trait associated with those alleles will be expressed. In homozygous recessive individuals, both alleles are recessive, resulting in the expression of the recessive trait.

On the other hand, heterozygous describes having two different alleles for a specific gene (Aa). In this case, there is one dominant allele and one recessive allele. The dominant allele will be expressed, while the recessive allele remains hidden, resulting in a dominant trait being displayed.

In summary, the terms homozygous and heterozygous differ based on whether an individual possesses two identical (homozygous) or two different (heterozygous) alleles for a specific trait.