What is a dominant gene?

What is a dominant gene?

• A. A gene that is hidden when a recessive gene is present
• B. A gene that is expressed in the offspring whenever it is present
• C. A gene that can only show its traits in homozygous pairings
• D. A gene that requires both parents' genes to be expressed

Answer: (B)

A dominant gene is characterized by its ability to be expressed in the phenotype of an organism whenever it is present, regardless of whether it is paired with another dominant gene or a recessive gene. This means that if an individual has at least one copy of a dominant gene, that gene will dictate the trait that appears in the offspring. In contrast to a recessive gene, which only manifests its traits when two copies (homozygous) are present, a dominant gene exerts its influence even in a heterozygous pairing where only one copy is present alongside a recessive gene. This fundamental principle of genetics highlights the power of dominant genes in determining physical characteristics, such as color in animals or other visible traits.

A dominant gene is characterized by its ability to be expressed in the phenotype of an organism whenever it is present, regardless of whether it is paired with another dominant gene or a recessive gene. This means that if an individual has at least one copy of a dominant gene, that gene will dictate the trait that appears in the offspring.

In contrast to a recessive gene, which only manifests its traits when two copies (homozygous) are present, a dominant gene exerts its influence even in a heterozygous pairing where only one copy is present alongside a recessive gene. This fundamental principle of genetics highlights the power of dominant genes in determining physical characteristics, such as color in animals or other visible traits.