Differences between Allele and Gene
Gene vs. Allele
In genetics, the terms gene and allele are fundamental units of heredity that determine the traits of an organism.[1][2] A gene is a specific sequence of DNA that contains the instructions for building proteins or functional RNA molecules.[3][4] These proteins then carry out various functions in the body, leading to the expression of traits like eye color or blood type.[1][5]
An allele is a specific variation of a gene. While the gene for eye color determines that a person will have color in their eyes, different alleles of that gene are responsible for the specific color, such as blue, brown, or green. Individuals inherit two alleles for each gene, one from each parent. The combination of these two alleles determines how a particular trait is expressed.
For example, the gene responsible for blood type in humans has multiple alleles, including A, B, and O. A person might inherit an A allele from one parent and a B allele from the other, resulting in AB blood type. In this case, the A and B alleles are codominant.[5] In other cases, one allele may be dominant and the other recessive. For instance, the allele for brown eyes is dominant over the allele for blue eyes.[5] A person with one brown eye allele and one blue eye allele will have brown eyes because the brown eye allele masks the effect of the blue eye allele.[5]
Comparison Table
| Category | Gene | Allele |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein or functional RNA molecule.[3][4] | A variant form of a gene. |
| Function | Determines a specific trait. | Creates variations in a trait. |
| Number | A single gene determines a particular characteristic. | Multiple alleles can exist for a single gene within a population. |
| Inheritance | Inherited from parents.[1] | An individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent. |
| Example | The gene for blood type. | The A, B, and O variations of the blood type gene.[5] |
| Relationship | The fundamental unit of heredity.[3][1] | A specific version of a gene. |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "cancer.gov". Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ↑ "clevelandclinic.org". Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "medlineplus.gov". Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "yourgenome.org". Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "cancer.gov". Retrieved October 25, 2025.
