What is the Difference Between Heterozygous and Homozygous Individuals?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between heterozygous and homozygous individuals lies in the pairs of alleles they inherit for a particular trait. Alleles are different versions of a gene, and an individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent.
- Homozygous individuals inherit two identical alleles (RR or rr) for a particular trait. These individuals can be either homozygous dominant, where both alleles are dominant, or homozygous recessive, where both alleles are recessive.
- Heterozygous individuals inherit two different alleles (Rr) for a particular trait. In a heterozygous genotype, an individual has one dominant and one recessive allele. The dominant allele is expressed more strongly, masking the recessive allele.
In general, homozygous individuals have a more consistent expression of a particular trait, as they carry two copies of the same allele. On the other hand, heterozygous individuals have a more variable expression of the trait, as they carry two different alleles, with the dominant one being expressed.
Comparative Table: Heterozygous vs Homozygous Individuals
The difference between heterozygous and homozygous individuals can be understood through their allele combinations for a specific gene. Here is a table summarizing the differences:
| Feature | Homozygous | Heterozygous |
|---|---|---|
| Allele Combination | Both alleles for a specific gene are identical (e.g., AA or aa) | Both alleles for a specific gene are different (e.g., Aa) |
| Trait Expression | Expression of the trait is determined by the specific combination of alleles. In certain instances, one of these alleles can show dominance, resulting in the physical characteristic. | The phenotype is mostly due to the dominant allele in the heterozygous condition. |
| Gamete Production | Homozygous genotypes result in a single type of gamete. | Heterozygous genotypes result in two types of gametes. |
| Self-Fertilization | Self-fertilization results in the repetition of the same traits over generations. | Self-fertilization results in different combinations of traits over the next generations. |
| Genetic Diversity | Homozygous individuals do not contribute to genetic diversity. | Heterozygous individuals contribute to genetic diversity within populations, playing an important role in evolution and adaptation of the species. |
Homozygous individuals carry two identical alleles for a specific gene, while heterozygous individuals carry two different alleles for the same gene.
- Homozygous vs Heterozygous
- Homozygous vs Hemizygous
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- Dominant vs Recessive Alleles
- Allele vs Genotype
- Haploid vs Diploid
- Homosexual vs Heterosexual
- Gene vs Allele
- Codominance vs Multiple Alleles
- Allelic vs Locus Heterogeneity
- Genetics vs Heredity
- Genotype vs Phenotype
- Allele vs Trait
- Dominant vs Recessive
- Monohybrid vs Dihybrid Crosses
- Haplogroup vs Haplotype
- Multiple Alleles vs Lethal Alleles
- Homologous vs Homeologous Chromosomes