In genetics, what does the term 'allele' refer to?

The term "allele" specifically refers to a variant form of a gene. Genes are sections of DNA that code for traits, and alleles are different versions of those genes that may produce variations in characteristics. For example, a gene might determine flower color in plants, and the different alleles for that gene could result in a plant having red, white, or yellow flowers. Alleles can be dominant or recessive, which influences how traits are expressed in an organism.

Understanding the concept of alleles is fundamental in genetics, as it forms the basis for inheritance patterns and genetic variation within a population. In contrast, terms like "chromosome," "section of RNA," and "protein molecule" refer to other components of the genetic and cellular framework, but they do not describe the specific variants of genes that alleles represent.