In genetics, what term refers to a variant form of a gene?

The term that refers to a variant form of a gene is allele. Alleles are different versions of the same gene that can produce variations in traits among individuals. For example, a gene that determines flower color may have a purple allele and a white allele, leading to different flower colors in plants. Each individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent, which can be the same (homozygous) or different (heterozygous).

Phenotype, on the other hand, refers to the observable traits or characteristics of an organism, such as its physical appearance or behavior, and is influenced by both genes and the environment. Genotype denotes the genetic constitution of an individual, specifically the alleles it possesses for a particular gene. The gene pool refers to the complete set of genetic information within a population, encompassing all the alleles present in that population. Thus, allele is the correct term for a variant form of a gene, highlighting the specific variations that can exist within a gene's structure.