Which term describes the combination of alleles present on an individual's chromosomes?

Which term describes the combination of alleles present on an individual's chromosomes?

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

Answer: (A)

Genetic makeup for a person refers to the specific variants of genes they carry, i.e., the two alleles present for each gene on the paired chromosomes. This combination of alleles across the genes is called the genotype. It’s about the allelic pairing, not what is visibly expressed. The phenotype is the observable traits that result from genotype and environmental effects, while the genome is the entire set of genetic material in an organism. For a single gene with two possible variants, A and a, the possible genotypes are AA, Aa, or aa, illustrating how the genotype captures the exact allelic combination. This distinction lets scientists describe inherited information precisely without conflating it with traits or the full genetic sequence.

Genetic makeup for a person refers to the specific variants of genes they carry, i.e., the two alleles present for each gene on the paired chromosomes. This combination of alleles across the genes is called the genotype. It’s about the allelic pairing, not what is visibly expressed. The phenotype is the observable traits that result from genotype and environmental effects, while the genome is the entire set of genetic material in an organism. For a single gene with two possible variants, A and a, the possible genotypes are AA, Aa, or aa, illustrating how the genotype captures the exact allelic combination. This distinction lets scientists describe inherited information precisely without conflating it with traits or the full genetic sequence.