Dominant gene
In genetics, the term dominant gene refers to the an allele that causes a phenotype that is seen in a heterozygous genotype. Strictly, it is the phenotype (or trait) which is dominant, not the gene.That is dominance/recessiveness refers to phenotype, not genotype. Consider sickle cell anemia as an example. The sickle cell genotype is caused by a single base pair change in the beta-globin gene: normal=GAG (glu), sickle=GTG (val). There are several phenotypes associated with the sickle genotype: 1) anemia (a recessive trait), 2) blood cell sickling (partially dominant), 3) altered beta-globin electrophoretic mobility (codominant), and 4) resistance to malaria (dominant). This example demonstrates that one can only refer to dominance/recessiveness with respect to individual phenotypes.
Most loss-of-function mutations are recessive. However, some are dominant and are called "dominant negative" mutations. Typically, a dominant negative mutation results in a protein that is structurally similar to the wild-type protein, but which has lost the normal function. Such proteins may be competitive inhibitors of the normal protein function.
See also:
Dominant negative