Page "Cistron" Paragraph 1

For example, suppose a mutation at a chromosome position is responsible for a recessive trait in a diploid organism ( where chromosomes come in pairs ).

We say that the mutation is recessive because the organism will exhibit the wild type phenotype ( ordinary trait ) unless both chromosomes of a pair have the mutation ( homozygous mutation ).

Similarly, suppose a mutation at another position,, is responsible for the same recessive trait.

The positions and are said to be within the same cistron when an organism that has the mutation at on one chromosome and has the mutation at position on the paired chromosome exhibits the recessive trait even though the organism is not homozygous for either mutation.

When instead the wild type trait is expressed, the positions are said to belong to distinct cistrons / genes.