True-breeding organisms are defined as

Study for the 9th Grade Biology SOL Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each featuring hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

True-breeding organisms are defined as

Explanation:
True-breeding means two identical alleles for a trait, so the organism is homozygous. Because both gametes carry the same allele, self-fertilization always passes that allele to all offspring, yielding the same genotype and phenotype every generation. For example, a plant with AA or aa will produce only AA or only aa offspring. If the organism is heterozygous (Aa), self-crossing creates a mix of genotypes and phenotypes, so it isn’t true-breeding. Dominance or recessiveness across all traits isn’t what defines true-breeding; it’s the presence of two identical alleles for the trait.

True-breeding means two identical alleles for a trait, so the organism is homozygous. Because both gametes carry the same allele, self-fertilization always passes that allele to all offspring, yielding the same genotype and phenotype every generation. For example, a plant with AA or aa will produce only AA or only aa offspring. If the organism is heterozygous (Aa), self-crossing creates a mix of genotypes and phenotypes, so it isn’t true-breeding. Dominance or recessiveness across all traits isn’t what defines true-breeding; it’s the presence of two identical alleles for the trait.

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