Here's a breakdown:
* Allele: A variant form of a gene.
* Heterozygous: Having two different alleles for a particular trait.
* Phenotype: The observable characteristics of an organism.
In codominance, both alleles contribute equally to the phenotype. This means that the heterozygote expresses both traits simultaneously, rather than one trait masking the other (as in dominant-recessive inheritance).
Example:
* Blood type: The ABO blood group system is a classic example of codominance. If you inherit the A allele and the B allele, your blood type will be AB, meaning you express both the A and B antigens on your red blood cells.
Other examples of codominance:
* Roan coat color in cattle: A roan cow has both red and white hairs, resulting from the codominant expression of red and white alleles.
* Sickle cell anemia: Individuals with the sickle cell trait inherit one normal hemoglobin allele and one sickle cell allele. They produce both normal and sickle-shaped red blood cells, exhibiting a less severe form of the disease.
Let me know if you'd like more information about codominance or other inheritance patterns!
