In genetics, how is a recessive allele represented?

A recessive allele is typically represented by a lowercase letter, such as 'a'. This convention is used to distinguish between dominant alleles, which are represented with uppercase letters (like 'A'). In genetic notation, the use of a lowercase letter indicates that the trait associated with that allele will only be expressed phenotypically when two copies of the recessive allele are present in an individual (homozygous recessive). If an individual has at least one dominant allele (e.g., one 'A' and one 'a'), the dominant trait will be exhibited, overshadowing the recessive one. This visual representation helps geneticists and biologists easily identify and predict inheritance patterns in offspring.