How do geneticists know whether a particular trait is caused by the alleles of one gene or by two genes interacting in one of a number of possible ways?
Genetic Variation
Genetic variation refers to the variation in the genome sequences between individual organisms of a species. Individual differences or population differences can both be referred to as genetic variations. It is primarily caused by mutation, but other factors such as genetic drift and sexual reproduction also play a major role.
Quantitative Genetics
Quantitative genetics is the part of genetics that deals with the continuous trait, where the expression of various genes influences the phenotypes. Thus genes are expressed together to produce a trait with continuous variability. This is unlike the classical traits or qualitative traits, where each trait is controlled by the expression of a single or very few genes to produce a discontinuous variation.
- How do geneticists know whether a particular trait is caused by the alleles of one gene or by two genes interacting in one of a number of possible ways?
A gene is a stretch of nucleotides present in the DNA. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is a polymer of deoxyribonucleotides connected together via phosphodiester bond. It holds information of structure and functions of a cell and is also transferred from one generation to the next generation.
Alleles controlling a trait can be dominant or recessive. A dominant allele is expressed in both homozygous (pair of alleles is identical on both the homologous chromosomes) and heterozygous (pair of alleles are contrasting on the two homologous chromosomes) conditions. A recessive allele can only express in the case of homozygous condition.
Any particular character of an organism that can be visualized from its outer appearance is termed as its phenotype whereas the genes controlling that character constitute its genotype.
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