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Clarify, using examples, the difference between the terms allele and gene. - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 26 - 2003 - Paper 1
Question 26
Clarify, using examples, the difference between the terms allele and gene.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Clarify, using examples, the difference between the terms allele and gene. - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 26 - 2003 - Paper 1
Step 1
Define the term 'gene'
Answer
A gene is a segment of DNA that contains the instructions for building a specific protein or RNA molecule. Genes are the basic units of heredity and can influence various traits in an organism. For example, the gene for eye color may determine whether an individual has brown or blue eyes.
Step 2
Define the term 'allele'
Answer
An allele is a variant form of a gene. Alleles can lead to the production of different traits within a population. For example, the gene for eye color may have multiple alleles, such as a brown allele (B) and a blue allele (b), where an individual can possess two alleles (like BB, Bb, or bb) resulting in different eye colors.
Step 3
Clarify the difference with examples
Answer
The main difference between a gene and an allele is that a gene refers to the overall location and information on a specific trait, while an allele refers to the specific version of that gene. In our example, the eye color gene encompasses all instructions related to eye color, whereas specific alleles such as B or b represent variations of that gene that determine whether eyes are brown or blue.