Which type of allele leads to wet earwax in humans?

The W allele is associated with wet earwax in humans because it is the dominant form of the gene responsible for this trait. In genetics, dominant alleles express their traits when present in just one copy, while recessive alleles require two copies to express a trait fully. The presence of at least one W allele leads to the production of wet earwax, which is a characteristic phenotype.

In terms of inheritance, individuals with one or two copies of the W allele will exhibit the wet earwax phenotype, whereas those with two copies of the recessive w allele will manifest dry earwax. This dominance relationship illustrates the basic principles of Mendelian genetics, where dominant alleles overshadow the effects of recessive alleles in heterozygous conditions. Understanding this concept is vital for studying the inheritance patterns and phenotypic expressions of traits in populations.