answersLogoWhite

0

One cannot really be heterozygous for a trait. You can be heterozygous for a gene, and based on the whether that gene is dominant or recessive will determine if you express that trait or not.

Humans (and most organisms) carry two copies of each chromosome. As such, for a given genetic sequence, there can be three possibilities (there are exceptions, but let's keep it simple for now). The genes A)both code for the trait, B) neither code for the trait, or C) One gene does and the other does not. The C option is is being heterozygous.

Let's get an example now:

Assume that in some animal, there are only two hair colors -- Black or White. Also, the Black Hair color is Dominant. The black hair color is coded by the uppercase letter "B" and the white hair color is coded by the lowercase letter "b".

An animal with the coding "BB" is HOMOZYGOUS for Black hair because BOTH genes code for black hair. Similarly, an animal coding "bb" will have White hair, because BOTH genes code for white hair.

Now, let's say these two animals mate and have a baby coding with "Bb". This baby will have BLACK hair because the Black hair color is dominant and overpowers the White hair gene.

To be Heterozygous (usually) means that you will express the dominant version of the trait, BUT your offspring/children can possibly get the recessive version of the trait.

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

Scientists call an organism that has two different alleles for a trait is what?

an organism that has two different alleles for a trait is heterozygous


Organism that has two diffrent alleles for a single trait?

An organism that has two different alleles for a single trait is called heterozygous. This means that the organism inherited different versions of the gene responsible for that trait from each parent.


What organism with two unlike genes of a trait is called?

A heterozygous has 2 different alleles for a trait.


What is a person who has one recessive allele for a trait and one dominant allele for the same trait and is able to pass in the trait on to their offspring?

That is heterozygous. Some scientist call these "hybrids"(no joke)The person is heterozygous for that trait and will have the dominant phenotype.An organism with both a dominant and recessive allele for a specific trait is called an heterozygote. They are heterozygous for this trait.


Describes an organism that has two different alleles for a trait?

Heterozygous


What contains both a dominate trait and a recessive trait?

heterozygous?


Condition of being heterozygous for a recessive trait?

If you are heterozygous this means you carry both a dominant and recessive allele. if you are heterozygous for a recessive trait then you will have a dominant and recessive allele. example: let T represent tall and t represent short. a person with heterozygous for a recessive trait will have 'Tt'.


What does does heterozygous mean?

Heterozygous means that you are carrying 1 dominant trait and 1 recessive trait.If an allelic pair has one dominant and other recessive gene it is called heterozygous.


What does being heterozygous for a trait mean?

the 2 alleles of the gene for the trait are different on the 2 homologous chromosomesBeing heterozygous for a trait means that they have different alleles for a trait. For instance: Tt would be heterozygous and TT or tt would be homozygous because they are both eitehr little or big t's.it mean the gene is not pure or for example suppose a person is blood group A but actually he is having A and O; because O is recessive trait the gene express the A trait instead, making the person having blood group A.


What heterozygous mean?

Heterozygous means that you are carrying 1 dominant trait and 1 recessive trait.If an allelic pair has one dominant and other recessive gene it is called heterozygous.


This describes the organism or trait that has two different alleles for the same trait?

Heterozygous


What would the offspring most likely be if an individual with a heterozygous trait and an individual with a homozgous recessive trait crossed be?

The offspring would have a 50% chance of being heterozygous and showing the dominant trait and a 50% chance of being homozygous for the recessive trait.