Give one point of difference between the following on the basis of what is given in bracket.
genotype and phenotype (example)
Answers
Answer: In biology, a gene is a section of DNA that encodes a trait. The precise arrangement of nucleotides (each composed of a phosphate group, sugar and a base) in a gene can differ between copies of the same gene. Therefore, a gene can exist in different forms across organisms. These different forms are known as alleles. The exact fixed position on the chromosome that contains a particular gene is known as a locus.
A diploid organism either inherits two copies of the same allele or one copy of two different alleles from their parents. If an individual inherits two identical alleles, their genotype is said to be homozygous at that locus.
However, if they possess two different alleles, their genotype is classed as heterozygous for that locus. Alleles of the same gene are either autosomal dominant or recessive. An autosomal dominant allele will always be preferentially expressed over a recessive allele.
The subsequent combination of alleles that an individual possesses for a specific gene is their genotype.
Genotype examples
Let’s look at a classic example – eye color.
A gene encodes eye color.
In this example, the allele is either brown, or blue, with one inherited from the mother, and the other inherited from the father.
The brown allele is dominant (B), and the blue allele is recessive (b). If the child inherits two different alleles (heterozygous) then they will have brown eyes. For the child to have blue eyes, they must be homozygous for the blue eye allele. Phenotype examples
Environmental factors that may influence the phenotype include nutrition, temperature, humidity and stress. Flamingos are a classic example of how the environment influences the phenotype. Whilst renowned for being vibrantly pink, their natural color is white – the pink color is caused by pigments in the organisms in their diet.
A second example is an individual's skin color. Our genes control the amount and type of melanin that we produce, however, exposure to UV light in sunny climates causes the darkening of existing melanin and encourages increased melanogenesis and thus darker skin.
Explanation: