Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Plant Molecular Genetics

Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Plant Molecular Genetics 1. Gene vs. Allele While both terms refer to units of heredity, there's a distinction. A gene is a specific segment of DNA that codes for a particular trait, while an allele is a variant of a gene. Think of genes as chapters in a book, and alleles as different editions of that chapter. 2. Genotype vs. Phenotype Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, the combination of alleles it possesses. Phenotype, on the other hand, is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics resulting from the interaction between genotype and the environment. Genotype is like the blueprint, while phenotype is the actual building. 3. Homozygous vs. Heterozygous These terms describe the presence of either identical or different alleles at a specific gene locus. Homozygous means having two identical alleles, while heterozygous means having two different alleles. It's like having two copies of the same book or two different books on a shelf. 4. Dominant vs. Recessive Dominant alleles are expressed in the phenotype, even if there's only one copy. Recessive alleles, on the other hand, are only expressed if there are two copies. It's like having a strong-willed leader (dominant) versus a shy follower (recessive). 5. Mutation vs. Polymorphism