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Multiple Choice
What is polygenic inheritance?
A
Inheritance pattern where one gene affects multiple traits.
B
Inheritance of traits that are influenced by environmental factors.
C
Inheritance of traits controlled by two or more genes, often resulting in a continuous range of phenotypes.
D
Inheritance of traits determined by a single gene with two alleles.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Polygenic inheritance refers to the inheritance pattern where multiple genes (often referred to as polygenes) contribute to a single trait.
Unlike single-gene inheritance, where one gene controls a trait, polygenic inheritance involves the interaction of several genes, each having a small additive effect on the phenotype.
This type of inheritance often results in a continuous range of phenotypes, such as height, skin color, or eye color, rather than discrete categories.
Environmental factors can also influence the expression of polygenic traits, adding to the variability seen in the population.
To understand polygenic inheritance, consider how each contributing gene may have multiple alleles, and the combination of these alleles across different genes results in the observed phenotype.