Which type of inheritance results from multiple genes contributing to a single trait?

Which type of inheritance results from multiple genes contributing to a single trait?

• A. Codominance
• B. Incomplete Dominance
• C. Polygenic Inheritance
• D. Moiety Inheritance

Answer: (C)

Polygenic inheritance is a type of genetic inheritance where multiple genes (often located on different chromosomes) contribute to the expression of a single trait. This results in a continuous range of phenotypes, rather than discrete categories, as seen in traits that follow Mendelian inheritance patterns. Examples of polygenic traits include human height, skin color, and eye color, where the combined effects of several genes lead to the phenotypic variation observed in the population. In polygenic inheritance, each gene may have a small additive effect on the final trait, and the interactions among these genes can result in a broad spectrum of outcomes. This complexity is what differentiates polygenic inheritance from other types of inheritance, where usually a single gene with clear dominant or recessive alleles determines the trait. Finally, the other types of inheritance mentioned, such as codominance and incomplete dominance, refer to interactions between alleles of a single gene rather than the cumulative effect of multiple genes on a single trait. Moiety inheritance is not a widely recognized term in genetic inheritance contexts. Thus, polygenic inheritance accurately captures the concept of multiple genes influencing one phenotypic characteristic.

Polygenic inheritance is a type of genetic inheritance where multiple genes (often located on different chromosomes) contribute to the expression of a single trait. This results in a continuous range of phenotypes, rather than discrete categories, as seen in traits that follow Mendelian inheritance patterns. Examples of polygenic traits include human height, skin color, and eye color, where the combined effects of several genes lead to the phenotypic variation observed in the population.

In polygenic inheritance, each gene may have a small additive effect on the final trait, and the interactions among these genes can result in a broad spectrum of outcomes. This complexity is what differentiates polygenic inheritance from other types of inheritance, where usually a single gene with clear dominant or recessive alleles determines the trait.

Finally, the other types of inheritance mentioned, such as codominance and incomplete dominance, refer to interactions between alleles of a single gene rather than the cumulative effect of multiple genes on a single trait. Moiety inheritance is not a widely recognized term in genetic inheritance contexts. Thus, polygenic inheritance accurately captures the concept of multiple genes influencing one phenotypic characteristic.