The genetic make up of an organism is referred to as the

Answer Details

The genotype of an organism is the complete set of genes (alleles) it carries in its DNA. It represents the organism's genetic constitution, whether or not those genes are visibly expressed. Two organisms can share the same outward appearance yet differ in genotype if one carries a hidden recessive allele.

It is important to distinguish the genotype from related but different terms:

• A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Each nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base. It is a molecular unit, not a description of an organism's overall genetic makeup.
• A karyotype is the organised visual profile of an organism's chromosomes, arranged by size and shape. It shows chromosome number and structure but does not describe the specific allele composition at each gene locus.
• The phenotype is the set of observable physical and biochemical characteristics of an organism (e.g. eye colour, height, blood group). Phenotype results from the interaction of genotype with the environment, but it is not the genetic makeup itself.

Exam tip: Remember the pair: genotype = genes you carry; phenotype = traits you display. Questions often test whether students can distinguish between the two.