heterozygous etymology

Etymology

The term "heterozygous" comes from the Greek roots:

• hetero-: meaning "different" or "other"
• zygo: meaning "joined" or "paired"

Meaning

A heterozygous organism is one that has two different alleles for a particular gene. Alleles are alternative forms of a gene that occupy the same locus (position) on a chromosome.

Origin

The term "heterozygous" was first used by the German botanist Wilhelm Johannsen in 1909. He introduced this term to distinguish between organisms that have two identical alleles (homozygous) and those that have two different alleles.

Explanation

In genetics, the genotype of an organism refers to the combination of alleles it has for a particular gene. A heterozygous genotype is represented by the symbol Aa, where "A" and "a" represent the two different alleles.

For example, in humans, the gene for eye color has two alleles: one for brown eyes and one for blue eyes. A heterozygous individual will have one brown eye allele (B) and one blue eye allele (b), giving them a genotype of Bb. This means that they will have brown eyes, but they will carry the blue eye allele and can pass it on to their offspring.

heterozygous relate terms

• zygote

  Etymology Derived from Greek zygōtos ζυγωτός meaning joined yoked together

• hetero

  Etymology The term hetero is derived from the Greek word heteros which means differ

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• theology

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• divination

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• collateral

  Etymology The word collateral is derived from the Latin word collateralis which mean

• acolyte

  Etymology From Middle English acolite from Old French acolit from Ecclesiastical Lati

• temerity

  Etymology The word temerity comes from the Latin word temeritas meaning rashness

• dismay

  Etymology Middle English dismayen verb dismay noun Old French desmaier verb des

• rapport

  Etymology The word rapport comes from the French word rapporter meaning to bring ba

• squirrel

  Etymology and Meaning The word squirrel is derived from the Middle English word squir

• retribution

  Etymology Latin retributio retributionis retribution punishment retribuere to