Difference Between Allelic and Locus Heterogeneity

Differences in allelic and locus heterogeneity are two terms that are frequently confused. Both of them refer to a situation where two or more different alleles or DNA sequences are present in the same individual.

Allelic heterogeneity is the situation where the same trait or disease is inherited differently in different affected individuals.

Allelic heterogeneity is the situation where the same trait or disease is inherited differently in different affected individuals. It’s a common cause of genetic diseases, including cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease.

Allelic heterogeneity can be caused by different mutations in the same gene (i.e., alleles), or it can be caused by different mutations in different genes (i.e., loci).

A common example of allelic heterogeneity is cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a genetic disorder that causes an abnormal buildup of mucus in the lungs and other organs.

A common example of allelic heterogeneity is cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a genetic disorder that causes an abnormal buildup of mucus in the lungs and other organs. The CFTR gene on chromosome 7 encodes for a protein that regulates the flow of ions across cell membranes, and it’s found in many tissues including lung and pancreas. If one copy of the CFTR gene has a mutation, you’ll have normal function; if both copies do, you’ll have CF.

A person with CF will have one of three variants, called alleles, at the CFTR gene.

The genetic makeup of a person with cystic fibrosis (CF) is different than that of someone without CF. A person with CF will have one of three variants, called alleles, at the CFTR gene. These alleles are found at the same locus on their chromosome and inherited from their parents.

The two alleles for each gene are called dominant and recessive. In this case, one allele is dominant over another allele because it causes symptoms when present while the other does not cause any symptoms unless both are present together in homozygous form (meaning you have two copies).

If both alleles are identical–that is homozygous–then there will be no disease risk whatsoever!

For example, if a person has two copies of allele 1 (one from each parent), then they will have CF. If they have one copy of allele 1 and one copy of allele 2, then they will be heterozygous for allele 1, but not have CF. And if they have both alleles 2, then they are homozygous for allele 2 and do not have CF.

In the example of CF, allele 1 is the most common allele in the general population. Allele 2 is less common than allele 1 and also very rare, but not as rare as allele 3.

Alleles can be either dominant or recessive:

• Dominant alleles are expressed when they are present on one chromosome and their effect can be seen even if they’re paired with an inactive (non-dominant) form of that gene. For example, if you have two copies of a dominant allele for eye color blue eyes vs brown eyes – you will have blue eyes regardless of whether your partner has brown eyes or blue eyes themselves! And vice versa: if both parents pass down a recessive trait such as red hair then there’s no way for their child not having red hair unless one parent happened to be carrying this recessive gene but wasn’t able express it due being paired with another non-expressive allele instead.”

Heterozygosity means having two different forms of a particular gene or protein on a chromosome

Heterozygosity means having two different forms of a particular gene or protein on a chromosome. This happens when an organism inherits different alleles from its parents. One allele is dominant and the other is recessive, so heterozygous individuals are more likely to be affected by disease than homozygous individuals.

A locus is where one gene or many genes are located in relation to each other on a chromosome; it can also refer to an area within a chromosome that contains only one gene.

We hope that this post has helped you understand the difference between allelic and locus heterogeneity. If you’re still unsure about what these terms mean, please feel free to reach out! We’re always happy to help our readers learn more about genetics!