Dwg: Article written and Venn diagram created.

2025-12-13T10:31:46Z

Article written and Venn diagram created.

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== Dominant vs. Recessive ==
In genetics, dominant and recessive refer to the relationship between different versions, or alleles, of a gene.<ref name="ref1" /> Each individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent.<ref name="ref2" /> The interaction of these alleles determines how a specific trait is expressed. A dominant allele will determine the physical characteristic, or phenotype, even if only one copy is present. A recessive allele, in contrast, will only be expressed as a trait if two copies are present.<ref name="ref3" />

The concepts of dominance and recessiveness are central to Mendelian inheritance. A dominant allele is expressed in individuals who have one or two copies of that allele. For example, the allele for brown eyes is dominant.<ref name="ref4" /> If an individual inherits one allele for brown eyes and one for blue eyes, they will have brown eyes because the brown eye allele masks the effect of the blue eye allele.<ref name="ref4" /> In genetic notation, a dominant allele is typically represented by a capital letter.<ref name="ref5" />

A recessive allele is only phenotypically expressed when an individual has two copies of it.<ref name="ref3" /> If an individual inherits one recessive allele and one dominant allele, they will be a "carrier" of the recessive trait, but the trait will not be visible.<ref name="ref1" /> The allele for blue eyes is recessive, meaning a person must inherit two copies of the blue-eye allele to have blue eyes. A recessive allele is usually denoted by a lowercase letter.<ref name="ref5" />

Certain genetic disorders are inherited as dominant or recessive traits. Huntington's disease, for instance, is caused by a dominant allele, meaning an individual only needs to inherit one copy of the defective gene to develop the disorder.<ref name="ref3" /> Cystic fibrosis, on the other hand, is a recessive disorder, requiring an individual to inherit two copies of the faulty allele to be affected.<ref name="ref1" />

=== Comparison Table ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Category !! Dominant !! Recessive
|-
| **Alleles Required for Expression** || One || Two<ref name="ref3" />
|-
| **Effect in Heterozygous Condition** || The dominant trait is expressed || The trait is not expressed, but the individual is a carrier<ref name="ref1" />
|-
| **Representation** || Capital letter (e.g., A)<ref name="ref5" /> || Lowercase letter (e.g., a)<ref name="ref5" />
|-
| **Example Trait** || Brown eyes<ref name="ref4" /> || Blue eyes
|-
| **Example Genetic Disorder** || Huntington's disease<ref name="ref3" /> || Cystic fibrosis<ref name="ref1" />
|}

[[File:Venn_diagram_Differences_between_Dominant_versus_Recessive_comparison.png|thumb|center|800px|alt=Venn diagram for Differences between Dominant and Recessive|Venn diagram comparing Differences between Dominant and Recessive]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="ref1">[https://www.yourgenome.org/theme/what-are-dominant-and-recessive-alleles/ "yourgenome.org"]. Retrieved December 13, 2025.</ref>
<ref name="ref2">[https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-homozygous-definition-traits-example.html "study.com"]. Retrieved December 13, 2025.</ref>
<ref name="ref3">[https://synapse.patsnap.com/article/what-is-a-dominant-vs-recessive-allele "patsnap.com"]. Retrieved December 13, 2025.</ref>
<ref name="ref4">[https://study.com/academy/lesson/dominant-vs-recessive-alleles.html "study.com"]. Retrieved December 13, 2025.</ref>
<ref name="ref5">[https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/genes-and-genetics "betterhealth.vic.gov.au"]. Retrieved December 13, 2025.</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Comparisons]]

Differences between Dominant and Recessive - Revision history

Dwg: Article written and Venn diagram created.