In genetic terms, what is an allele?

An allele refers to a specific version or form of a gene that occupies a particular locus on a chromosome. These variations can result in different traits being expressed, such as flower color in plants or blood type in humans. Genes can have multiple alleles, leading to a range of phenotypes. For example, the gene that determines flower color might have one allele for red flowers and another for white flowers. Each individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent, which can be the same (homozygous) or different (heterozygous). The concept of alleles is fundamental to understanding genetic variation and inheritance patterns in organisms.