explain why the term homozygous and heterozygous with respect to an X-linked
treat are applicable to human female but not to human male
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Answer:
explain why the term homozygous and heterozygous with respect to X linked trait are applicable to human females but not human males. ... Females are heterozygous because they inherit each of their X chromosome from both their parents.
Answer:
Homozygous definition
In general, humans have the same genes. A number of genes are varied. These control our physical traits and health.
Each variation is called an allele. You inherit two alleles for each gene. One comes from your biological mother and one comes from your biological father.
If the alleles are identical, you’re homozygous for that specific gene. For instance, it could mean you have two alleles for the gene that causes brown eyes.
Some alleles are dominant, while others are recessive. The dominant allele is expressed more strongly, so it masks the recessive allele. However, in a homozygous genotype, this interaction doesn’t occur. You either have two dominant alleles (homozygous dominant) or two recessive alleles (homozygous recessive).
Read on to learn about the homozygous genotype, along with examples and disease risks.
Difference between homozygous and heterozygous
The term “heterozygous” also refers to a pair of alleles. Unlike homozygous, being heterozygous means you have two different alleles. You inherited a different version from each parent.
In a heterozygous genotype, the dominant allele overrules the recessive one. Therefore, the dominant trait will be expressed. The recessive trait won’t show, but you’re still a carrier. This means you can pass it on to your children.
It’s the opposite of being homozygous, where the trait of the matching alleles — either dominant or recessive — is expressed.
Homozygous examples
A homozygous genotype can appear in various ways, such as:
Eye color
The brown eye color allele is dominant over the blue eye allele. You can have brown eyes whether you’re homozygous (two alleles for brown eyes) or heterozygous (one for brown and one for blue).
This is unlike the allele for blue eyes, which is recessive. You need two identical blue eye alleles in order to have blue eyes.
Freckles
Freckles are tiny brown spots on the skin. They’re made of melanin, the pigment that gives color to your skin and hair.
The MC1R gene controls freckles. The trait is also dominant. If you don’t have freckles, it means you’re homozygous for a recessive version that doesn’t cause them.
Hair color
Red hair is a recessive trait. A person who is heterozygous for red hair has one allele for a dominant trait, like brown hair, and one allele for red hair.
They can pass the red hair allele to their future children. If the child inherits the same allele from the other parent, they’ll be homozygous and have red hair.
Homozygous genes and disease
Some diseases are caused by mutated alleles. If the allele is recessive, it’s more likely to cause disease in people who are homozygous for that mutated gene.
This risk is related to the way dominant and recessive alleles interact. If you were heterozygous for that mutated recessive allele, the normal dominant allele would take over. The disease may be expressed mildly or not at all.
If you’re homozygous for the recessive mutated gene, you have a higher risk of the disease. You don’t have a dominant allele to mask its effect.
The following genetic conditions are more likely to affect people who are homozygous for them:
Cystic fibrosis
The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene makes a protein that controls fluid movement in and out of cells.
If you inherit two mutated copies of this gene, you have cystic fibrosis (CF). Every person with CF is homozygous for this mutation.
The mutation causes thick mucus to build up, resulting in:
frequent lung infections
pancreas damage
scarring and cysts in the lungs
digestive issues
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