Which of the following statements is true regarding recessive traits?

Which of the following statements is true regarding recessive traits?

• A. They are always expressed in the phenotype
• B. They can be masked by a dominant trait
• C. They can only be inherited from one parent
• D. They express without any external influence

Answer: (B)

Recessive traits are not typically expressed in the phenotype unless two copies of the recessive allele are present in an individual. The reason this statement about recessive traits being able to be masked by a dominant trait is accurate is that if an individual has one dominant allele and one recessive allele for a particular trait, the dominant allele will determine the phenotype, effectively masking the presence of the recessive allele. For example, if a trait for flower color has a dominant allele for purple flowers and a recessive allele for white flowers, a plant with one purple allele and one white allele will display purple flowers. This illustrates how dominant traits can overshadow recessive ones, leading to a phenotype that does not reflect the organism's genetic makeup entirely. The other statements do not accurately represent the nature of recessive traits. They can be inherited from both parents, not just one, and while they can sometimes express under certain conditions, they do not express without the presence of two recessive alleles, hence cannot be independently influenced.

Recessive traits are not typically expressed in the phenotype unless two copies of the recessive allele are present in an individual. The reason this statement about recessive traits being able to be masked by a dominant trait is accurate is that if an individual has one dominant allele and one recessive allele for a particular trait, the dominant allele will determine the phenotype, effectively masking the presence of the recessive allele.

For example, if a trait for flower color has a dominant allele for purple flowers and a recessive allele for white flowers, a plant with one purple allele and one white allele will display purple flowers. This illustrates how dominant traits can overshadow recessive ones, leading to a phenotype that does not reflect the organism's genetic makeup entirely.

The other statements do not accurately represent the nature of recessive traits. They can be inherited from both parents, not just one, and while they can sometimes express under certain conditions, they do not express without the presence of two recessive alleles, hence cannot be independently influenced.