Most people have heard of the terms dominant genes and recessive genes, but have no idea what they really mean. These words are often confusing and most people have little to no knowledge about them. The terms of dominant and recessive are used to describe patters of characteristics and traits within the genes and how they are affected. In other words, they are used to describe how likely it would be for a certain gene to pass from a parent to their child.
Did You Know We Have Two Sets of Genes?
People are born with two different sets of genes. These two genes are known as alleles, and while they are quite similar, some can have differences. These differences often cause variations within proteins in the body that are produced or can change how and when protein in the body is made.
When the body has two dominant alleles, they will have a dominant gene. When the body has a dominant and recessive allele, the will have a dominant gene. When the body has two recessive alleles, they will have a recessive gene. One set of alleles will always be stronger than the other, but that doesn’t mean that your traits will change.
How Do Dominant and Recessive Alleles Work?
1. If both your mother and father have green eyes, changes are you will have green eyes as well. If both your mother and father have red hair, chances are that you will have red hair too.
2. If you have your mothers’ strong allele and she had green eyes but your father had brown eyes, you will most likely have either color and if she had red hair but your father had brown hair you would have one or the other.
3. If you have your mothers’ recessive allele and she had green eyes but your father had brown eyes, you will most likely have brown eyes and if she had red hair but your father had brown hair, your hair will most likely be brown.
Another example is that if you have two alleles for curly hair in your body, you will end up with curly hair. If you have two alleles for straight hair you will end up with straight hair. If you have one of each, whichever gene is the dominant one from all your alleles will be the one that you end up with.
Gene Chart
Dominant gene + dominant gene = dominant genes
Dominant gene + recessive gene = dominant genes
Recessive gene + recessive gene = recessive genes