Recessive (Noun)
Meaning
An allele that produces its characteristic phenotype only when its paired allele is identical.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The recessive allele for blue eyes is only expressed when an individual has two copies of the allele, one from each parent.
- Cystic fibrosis is caused by a recessive allele that affects the production of mucus in the lungs.
- The gene for red hair is recessive, meaning a person needs to inherit two copies of the gene to express the trait.
- The recessive allele for Tay-Sachs disease is found in people of Eastern European Jewish descent and causes a deficiency of a certain enzyme.
- A person with the recessive allele for sickle cell anemia will only express the disease if they inherit two copies of the allele.