What is the Difference Between Allele and Locus?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between an allele and a locus lies in their definitions and functions in genetics:
- Allele: An allele is one of the possible forms of a gene. Usually, there are two types of alleles: dominant and recessive. Alleles are responsible for coding a specific trait and are passed down from parents to offspring.
- Locus: A locus (or loci, plural) is the actual location of the gene on a region of a chromosome. It serves as a genetic marker and is important in gene mapping and constructing a genetic map of an organism.
In summary, an allele is a variant form of a gene that codes for a specific trait, while a locus is the specific location on a chromosome where a gene is found.
Comparative Table: Allele vs Locus
Here is a table comparing the differences between alleles and loci:
| Feature | Allele | Locus |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | An allele is a variant form of a gene, which varies according to the nucleotide base present at a particular genome location. | A locus is the location on the chromosome where a gene is found. |
| Role | Alleles contribute to the diversity in phenotype expression. | The locus is the specific chromosomal location where a gene is found. |
| Inheritance | Humans inherit two copies of each allele, one from each parent. | Each allele is located at the same place on a chromosome, and there can be multiple alleles at a given locus. |
| Variations | Alleles can be dominant or recessive, paternal or maternal. | Not applicable |
| Number per genome | Humans have two copies of each allele. | Each gene has one specific locus on a chromosome. |
To summarize, alleles are different versions of a gene, and loci are the specific locations on chromosomes where genes are found.
Read more:
- Allelic vs Locus Heterogeneity
- Gene vs Allele
- Allele vs Genotype
- Allele vs Trait
- Multiple Alleles vs Lethal Alleles
- Allelic vs Non allelic Gene
- Dominant vs Recessive Alleles
- Codominance vs Multiple Alleles
- Genotype vs Phenotype
- Gene vs Chromosome
- Haplogroup vs Haplotype
- Gene vs Genome
- Homozygous vs Heterozygous
- Gene vs Trait
- Multiple Alleles vs Polygenic Traits
- Gene vs DNA
- Genetic Map vs Linkage Map
- Pseudogene vs Gene
- Autosomes vs Allosomes