Heterozygosity
- Pronunciation
- /hee-ter-o-zigh-os-i-tee/
- Category
- Genetics
- Singular
- Heterozygosity
- Plural
- Heterozygosities
Definition
The presence of two different alleles (variants) at a particular genetic locus.
Etymology
From Greek 'heteros', meaning 'different', and 'zygos', meaning 'pair'.
Example
High heterozygosity in a population indicates genetic diversity.
Related Terms
- Alleles
- Genetic Diversity
- Gene Variation