Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an acquired trait?
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20. Quantitative Genetics
Traits and Variance
Multiple Choice
Which of the following traits is an example of polygenic inheritance (i.e., controlled by many genes with additive effects)?
A
ABO blood type in humans
B
Human skin color variation
C
Huntington disease
D
Cystic fibrosis
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the definition of polygenic inheritance: it refers to traits controlled by multiple genes, each contributing additively to the phenotype, resulting in continuous variation.
Review each trait option to determine the genetic basis: ABO blood type is controlled by a single gene with multiple alleles, so it is not polygenic.
Huntington disease and cystic fibrosis are caused by mutations in single genes and follow Mendelian inheritance patterns, so they are not examples of polygenic traits.
Human skin color variation is influenced by many genes, each adding to the overall pigmentation, which fits the definition of polygenic inheritance.
Conclude that among the options, human skin color variation is the example of polygenic inheritance due to the additive effects of multiple genes.
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