What characterizes recessive genes?

Prepare for the WGU PSYC1020 D202 Human Growth and Development Exam. Practice with multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations. Enhance your knowledge and confidence for the exam day!

Recessive genes are characterized by their requirement to be paired with another recessive gene in order to express themselves phenotypically. This means that for an individual to exhibit traits associated with a recessive gene, they must inherit two copies of that gene, one from each parent. If a dominant gene is present alongside a recessive gene, the dominant gene will mask the expression of the recessive one.

For example, in genetics, if we consider the gene for a specific trait like flower color in pea plants, the allele for purple flowers is dominant, while the allele for white flowers is recessive. A plant with two white flower alleles will show white flowers, but a plant with one purple and one white allele will only show the purple flowers. This underscores the requirement for recessive genes to be paired with similar recessive genes to manifest the associated traits.

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