En EspanolTalking Glossary of Genetic Terms
Leslie G. Biesecker, M.D. defines Allele
Allele
An allele is one of two or more versions of a gene. An individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent. If the two alleles are the same, the individual is homozygous for that gene. If the alleles are different, the individual is heterozygous. Though the term allele was originally used to describe variation among genes, it now also refers to variation among non-coding DNA sequences.
Send this term to a friend
How to cite this term for research papers
