Lecture Notes: Genotypes vs. Phenotypes

Key Concepts

Genotypes

• Definition: The genotype refers to the exact pairing of alleles for a given trait.
• Example in Eye Color:
  • Big B, Big B
  • Big B, little B
  • Little B, little B
• Focus: Genotype is concerned with the arrangement of alleles, not the expression of the trait.

Phenotypes

• Definition: The phenotype refers to the observable expression of a trait.
• Example in Eye Color:
  • Blue eyes
  • Green eyes
• Focus: Phenotype is about how the trait looks or functions, regardless of the allele pairing.
  • For example, both Big B, Big B and Big B, little B result in blue eyes.

Recap

• Genotype: Pair of alleles (Big B, Big B; Big B, little B, etc.).
• Phenotype: Expression of the trait (blue eyes, green eyes).

Additional Notes

• Genotype is represented by specific pairings (e.g., Big B, little B), whereas phenotype is the manifestation of those genes (e.g., having blue eyes).
• The presentation differentiates between how traits are paired genetically and how they are expressed.

Learning Resources

• Check out additional videos for more in-depth discussions on genotypes, phenotypes, and related genetic topics.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out in the comments for further clarification.