In genetics, which term describes the genetic makeup of an organism?

In genetics, which term describes the genetic makeup of an organism?

• A. Phenotype
• B. Chromosome
• C. Genotype
• D. Allele

Answer: (C)

Genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism—the specific combination of alleles at its genes that it carries. This describes the information that can be inherited and helps determine traits, even if the trait you see (the phenotype) depends on how those genes are expressed and on the environment. For a gene with two variants, you can be homozygous (two identical alleles) or heterozygous (two different alleles), like having two copies of one allele or one of each. The phenotype is the visible result, such as a particular flower color, which arises from the genotype in combination with other factors. A chromosome is the physical structure that carries DNA, and an allele is one variant of a gene. So the term that describes the genetic makeup of an organism is genotype.

Genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism—the specific combination of alleles at its genes that it carries. This describes the information that can be inherited and helps determine traits, even if the trait you see (the phenotype) depends on how those genes are expressed and on the environment. For a gene with two variants, you can be homozygous (two identical alleles) or heterozygous (two different alleles), like having two copies of one allele or one of each. The phenotype is the visible result, such as a particular flower color, which arises from the genotype in combination with other factors. A chromosome is the physical structure that carries DNA, and an allele is one variant of a gene. So the term that describes the genetic makeup of an organism is genotype.