Which term describes an organism's genetic makeup, or the combination of alleles?

The term that describes an organism's genetic makeup, specifically the combination of alleles that one possesses, is genotype. The genotype represents the specific genetic information contained within an organism's DNA, which can manifest in various characteristics or traits.

For instance, the genotype determines whether an organism has a trait like blue or brown eyes, depending on the specific alleles inherited from its parents. It is crucial in the study of genetics as it provides insight into how traits are passed from one generation to the next.

In contrast, phenotype refers to the observable traits or characteristics of an organism, which is influenced by both the genotype and environmental factors. Haplotype pertains to a set of genetic variations that are closely linked on the same chromosome, while transcriptome refers to the complete set of RNA molecules produced in a cell, reflecting the gene expression at a certain time. These terms highlight different aspects of genetics and biology but do not specifically define the genetic makeup as genotype does.