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Multiple Choice
How do multiple alleles influence phenotype in an organism?
A
Multiple alleles ensure that all individuals have the same phenotype.
B
Multiple alleles prevent any phenotypic variation.
C
Multiple alleles allow for a greater variety of phenotypes.
D
Multiple alleles result in only two possible phenotypes.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of alleles: Alleles are different versions of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome. Each individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent.
Recognize the role of multiple alleles: Multiple alleles refer to the presence of more than two allelic forms of a gene within a population. This increases genetic diversity and can lead to a variety of phenotypes.
Explore how multiple alleles contribute to phenotypic variation: When a gene has multiple alleles, the combination of alleles inherited by an individual can result in different phenotypic expressions. This is because each allele may encode a slightly different version of the protein or trait.
Consider examples of multiple alleles: A classic example is the ABO blood group system in humans, where the gene responsible for blood type has three alleles (I^A, I^B, and i), leading to four possible blood types (A, B, AB, and O).
Conclude the impact of multiple alleles: Multiple alleles allow for a greater variety of phenotypes within a population, contributing to the diversity observed in traits such as eye color, skin color, and more.