What is Heterozygous?

The name “heterozygous” is a combination of two words: hetero, which means “different,” and zygous, which means “having zygotes of a specific type.”As a result, two distinct Alleles are present on the Homologous Chromosomes. The expression of a trait in an individual is determined by the specific combination of alleles they possess, and in certain instances, one of these alleles can show dominance, as a result influencing the physical characteristic.

Heterozygous individuals have a specific genotype that may or may not be expressed in their phenotype, depending on the dominance or recessiveness of the alleles involved. Heterozygous individual contributes to genetic diversity within populations. The diversity plays an important role in evolution and adaptation of the species.

Homozygous and heterozygous are terms used in genetics to describe the types of alleles an individual possesses for a particular gene. A homozygous individual carries two identical alleles(RR or rr) for a specific gene while a heterozygous individual carries two different alleles(Rr) for a specific gene. The concepts of homozygous and heterozygous genotypes are fundamental in explaining the inheritance patterns of traits as described by Gregor Mendel.