Alleles are versions of a gene: Group of answer choices both inherited from mother both inherited from father not inherited one inherited from mother, one inherited from father
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: one inherited from mother, one inherited from father.
Explanation:
Alleles are different versions of a gene that occupy the same position, or locus, on homologous chromosomes. Humans have two copies of each chromosome, one inherited from the mother and one from the father. As a result, each gene in a human typically exists in two allelic forms, one from each parent.
For example, if you consider the gene for eye color, there might be two alleles: one for brown eyes (B) and one for blue eyes (b). A child inherits one allele from the mother and one from the father, which together determine the eye color. If the mother passes down the brown-eye allele (B) and the father passes down the blue-eye allele (b), the child would have a genotype of Bb, where “B” represents the dominant brown allele, and “b” represents the recessive blue allele.
This process of inheritance follows the basic rules of Mendelian genetics, where alleles segregate and assort independently during gamete formation, meaning the child has a 50% chance of inheriting either allele from each parent.
In cases where both alleles are the same (homozygous, such as BB or bb), the individual will express the corresponding trait. In cases where the alleles are different (heterozygous, such as Bb), the dominant allele usually determines the outward expression of the trait.
Thus, alleles are inherited one from each parent, and their combination dictates the genetic makeup and potential traits of an organism.
