Recessive Genes

Genes are the basic units of heredity that determine our phenotype, i.e. all external and internal characteristics of the body. Genes can be in different states, and depending on this, they can manifest themselves differently.

One such condition is a recessive gene condition. Genes that manifest themselves in the phenotype only when they are present on both homologous chromosomes, i.e. are in a homozygous state (in a “double dose”) and are classified as recessive genes.

Thus, if the gene is in a heterozygous state, i.e. only on one homologous chromosome, it does not manifest itself in the phenotype. This happens because another allele, which may be in a dominant state, hides its expression.

Recessive genes can cause hereditary diseases such as cystic fibrosis, albinism, beta thalassemia and others. For example, cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes dysfunction of the exocrine glands, such as the sweat glands and salivary glands. Each parent passes on one copy of the inherited gene to the child. If both parents pass on a recessive allele of a gene, then the child will be homozygous for that gene and will exhibit the disease.

Also, recessive genes can be important in evolution. For example, if a recessive gene encodes a beneficial property, then it can persist in the genetic pool of a population without manifesting itself in the phenotype. This may cause the favorable alleles to become more common after a few generations.

In conclusion, recessive genes are an important part of our heredity that can influence our phenotype and health. They may cause hereditary diseases, but may also play a role in evolution. Understanding how recessive genes work is of great importance for genetic and medical research and can help develop new approaches to treating diseases.