homozygotian

Homozygotian refers to a state in genetics where an individual possesses two identical alleles for a particular gene. Alleles are different versions of the same gene. For example, a gene for eye color might have an allele for blue eyes and an allele for brown eyes. If an organism is homozygous for this gene, it means it has either two alleles for blue eyes or two alleles for brown eyes. This can be represented as 'AA' or 'aa' in genetic notation, where 'A' and 'a' represent the different alleles. In contrast, an organism that has two different alleles for a gene is described as heterozygous. Homozygosity can arise from inheritance, where both parents contribute the same allele for a specific gene. It can also result from processes like inbreeding. The expression of traits can be influenced by whether an individual is homozygous or heterozygous. For some genes, a homozygous state leads to a distinct observable characteristic, while in other cases, the effect might be less apparent or dependent on other genetic factors.