Polygenic
Polygenic
Polygenic (/pɒliˈdʒɛnɪk/; from the Greek poly- meaning "many" and -genic meaning "origin") refers to a trait that is controlled by a group of non-allelic genes. This term is often used in Genetics to describe a characteristic that is influenced by more than one gene.
Etymology
The term "Polygenic" is derived from the Greek words poly- meaning "many" and -genic meaning "origin". It was first used in the early 20th century to describe traits that are influenced by more than one gene.
Definition
In Genetics, a polygenic trait is one whose phenotype is influenced by more than one gene. Traits that display a continuous distribution, such as height or skin color, are often polygenic. Polygenic traits can also be influenced by the environment.
Related Terms
- Genotype: The genetic makeup of an individual. This can refer to the entire genetic makeup, or it can refer to a specific gene or set of genes.
- Phenotype: The observable physical properties of an organism; these include the organism's appearance, development, and behavior.
- Allele: An alternative form of a gene that is located at a specific position on a specific chromosome.
- Quantitative trait locus (QTL): A region of DNA which is associated with a particular phenotypic trait, which varies in degree and can be attributed to polygenic effects.
- Mendelian inheritance: The manner by which genes and traits are passed from parents to their children. The modes of Mendelian inheritance are autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked dominant, X-linked recessive, and Y-linked.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Polygenic
- Wikipedia's article - Polygenic
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