Which term describes the inheritable information carried by all living organisms?

Prepare for the ACC Biology Accuplacer Test. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations, ensuring you're exam-ready!

The correct choice is genotype, which refers to the genetic constitution of an individual, representing the specific alleles inherited from the parents. This inheritance is the foundational blueprint for all living organisms, encoding the traits and characteristics that can be passed down through generations. The genotype is crucial as it determines the potential for expressing certain traits, which are influenced by environmental factors and gene interactions.

In contrast, phenotype denotes the observable traits or characteristics of an organism, which result from the interaction between genotype and environment. Monohybrid and dihybrid crosses are specific genetic crosses used to study the inheritance patterns of single traits or multiple traits, respectively, but they do not describe the inheritable information itself. Therefore, genotype is the most appropriate term in the context of inheritable information across all living organisms.

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