What is a dominant gene?

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.