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Difficulty: EasyGenetics and Heredity

An organism that possesses two identical alleles for a specific gene is described as heterozygous.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False, because an organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous.
The statement is false because possessing two identical alleles defines a homozygous condition. An organism is heterozygous only when it has two different alleles for that gene.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the genetic term for an individual carrying two matching alleles for a gene.
Two identical alleles represent a homozygous genotype.
The prefix 'homo-' means same, indicating that identical genetic variants were inherited from both parents.
2
Evaluate the definition of the term heterozygous.
The prefix 'hetero-' means different, describing an organism with two different alleles for a gene.
Comparing these definitions confirms that possessing identical alleles makes an organism homozygous rather than heterozygous.

Key Concept

Distinction between homozygous and heterozygous genotypes
Estimated Time:30s
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Topics

Genetics and Heredity

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