What is the difference between heterozygous and homozygous individuals? What is the difference between heterozygous and homozygous individuals? Heterozygotes carry two copies of a gene while homozygotes only carry one. Homozygotes have one chromosome while heterozygotes have two similar chromosomes. All of the gametes from a homozygote carry the same version of the gene while those of a heterozygote will differ. The homozygote will express the dominant trait and the heterozygote will express the recessive trait.

All of the gametes from a homozygote carry the same version of the gene while those of a heterozygote will differ.

Explanation:

A heterozygous individual carries both dominant and recessive alleles of a gene while a homozygous individual carries two copies of either dominant or recessive alleles of a gene. For example, the genotype TT and tt have two copies of dominant and recessive alleles respectively and are therefore homozygous genotypes. On the other hand, the genotype "Tt" is a heterozygous genotype.

An individual with a homozygous genotype would produce all the gametes having the same allele of the gene. The homozygous genotype "TT" would produce all the gametes with one copy of the "T" allele. An individual with a heterozygous genotype makes two types of gametes. The genotype "Tt" would produce 50% gametes having a "T" allele and rest 50% having a "t" allele. Segregation of alleles during meiosis produces different types of gametes in a heterozygous Individual.