allele

[uh-leel]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Genetics.

any of several forms of a gene, usually arising through mutation, that are responsible for hereditary variation.

allele

/ əˈ��ː�� /

noun

Also called: allelomorph.��any of two or more variants of a gene that have the same relative position on homologous chromosomes and are responsible for alternative characteristics, such as smooth or wrinkled seeds in peas See also multiple alleles

allele

Any of the possible forms in which a gene for a specific trait can occur. In almost all animal cells, two alleles for each gene are inherited, one from each parent. Paired alleles (one on each of two paired chromosomes) that are the same are called homozygous, and those that are different are called heterozygous. In heterozygous pairings, one allele is usually dominant, and the other recessive. Complex traits such as height and longevity are usually caused by the interactions of numerous pairs of alleles, while simple traits such as eye color may be caused by just one pair.

allele

The sequence of nucleotides on a DNA molecule that constitutes the form of a gene at a specific spot or a chromosome. There can be several variations of this sequence, and each of these is called an allele. In the case of the gene for eye color, for example, one allele codes for blue eyes, whereas the other may code for brown eyes.

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Other Word Forms

allelic adjective
allelism noun
interallelic adjective
nonallelic adjective
��ˈ�� adjective
��ˈ�� noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of allele¹

First recorded in 1930–35; from German Allel, apparently as shortening of German equivalents of allelomorph or allelomorphic gene; allelo-, from Greek ��ŧ��-, combining form of ��ō�� “of/to one another, reciprocally”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of allele¹

C20: from German Allel, shortened from allelomorph, from Greek ��ŧ��- one another + ��ǰ��ŧ form

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

In one study published in the journal Hypertension, people who had the “slow” caffeine metabolizing gene allele were at an increased risk of hypertension compared to those who had the “fast” gene allele.

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Interestingly, some studies have shown that people with an allele to the dopamine D2 receptor gene are more likely to develop a substance use disorder, including a stronger affinity for sugar.

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"Luckily for the Florida panthers, the new allele does not appear to impact susceptibility to prion disease, and it is rare or nonexistent in the current Florida population."

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Surprisingly, the patient had the genetic mutation on only one of the two UNC alleles, meaning that she had one normal UNC gene, yet she still suffered severe autoimmune symptoms.

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To further study the effects of the rs7132908 variant, the researchers used stem cells that evolve into hypothalamic neurons, a key cell type associated with eating behavior, to study the variant's alleles.

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allegro allele frequency

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