allozygous

Allozygous refers to a zygote formed from the fusion of two gametes (sperm and egg) that are genetically different. This is the most common type of zygote formation in sexually reproducing organisms. In humans and most other animals, individuals are allozygous, meaning they inherit a unique combination of genes from their mother and father. This genetic diversity is crucial for adaptation and evolution within a species, as it increases the range of traits present in a population. The process of meiosis, which produces gametes, involves recombination and independent assortment, further contributing to the genetic uniqueness of each gamete and therefore the allozygous nature of the resulting zygote. In contrast to allozygous, a zygote can be autozygous if it arises from the fusion of two gametes that are genetically identical, which can occur in cases of self-fertilization or identical twinning. Understanding allozygosity is fundamental in fields like genetics, evolutionary biology, and reproductive medicine.