The allele whose expression is hidden by a dominant allele is:

The allele whose expression is hidden by a dominant allele is:

• A. Dominant
• B. Codominant
• C. Recessive
• D. Incomplete

Answer: (C)

In this pattern of inheritance, one allele can mask the effect of the other in a heterozygote. The allele whose expression is hidden by the dominant allele is the recessive allele. It only shows up when two copies are present, as in a homozygous recessive genotype, where there is no dominant allele to mask it. For example, if tall is dominant over short, a genotype with one tall and one short allele (Tt) will be tall because the dominant allele’s effect is expressed. Only when both alleles are the recessive form (tt) will the short trait appear. This is different from codominance, where both alleles are expressed equally, and from incomplete dominance, where a blend or intermediate phenotype appears.

In this pattern of inheritance, one allele can mask the effect of the other in a heterozygote. The allele whose expression is hidden by the dominant allele is the recessive allele. It only shows up when two copies are present, as in a homozygous recessive genotype, where there is no dominant allele to mask it.

For example, if tall is dominant over short, a genotype with one tall and one short allele (Tt) will be tall because the dominant allele’s effect is expressed. Only when both alleles are the recessive form (tt) will the short trait appear.

This is different from codominance, where both alleles are expressed equally, and from incomplete dominance, where a blend or intermediate phenotype appears.