What is heterozygous?

Heterozygous refers to an organism that has two different alleles for a particular trait. In genetics, alleles are variants of a gene that govern the same characteristic, such as flower color or fur texture. When an organism is heterozygous for a trait, it means that one allele comes from one parent and a different allele comes from the other parent. This genetic variation can lead to a phenotype that may reflect one of the alleles or a combination of both, depending on whether the alleles are dominant or recessive.

The correct identification of heterozygosity is important in genetics, as it influences inheritance patterns and can affect traits passed on to offspring. Understanding this concept helps in predicting genetic outcomes and studying the principles of inheritance in various organisms.