ScienceSeptember 3, 2026
heterozygosity
het-uh-roh-zahy-GOS-i-tee
Definition
A measure of genetic diversity within a population, representing the proportion of individuals that possess two different versions (alleles) of a particular gene.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'heteros' (other or different) and 'zygotos' (yoked or joined), combined with the suffix -ity. It entered scientific English in the early 20th century to describe the state of having dissimilar alleles at a genetic locus.
In the news
In this article, researchers used heterozygosity metrics to show that the zebra coral population maintains healthy genetic diversity despite living in varied environmental conditions.
Genetic Structure and Environment-Linked Loci in a Resilient Coral Along Eutrophication Gradient
Read the full article ↗Bioengineer.org