Three pairs of genes with two alleles each (A₁ and A₂, B₁ and B₂, and C₁ and C₂) control the height of a plant. The alleles of these genes have an additive relationship: Each copy of alleles A₁, B₁, and C₁ contributes 6 cm to plant height, and each copy of alleles A₂, B₂, and C₂ contributes 3 cm.
What are the expected heights of plants with each of the homozygous genotypes A₁A₁B₁B₁C₁C₁ and A₂A₂B₂B₂C₂C₂.
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Genetics51m
- 2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
- 3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
- 4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
- 5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
- 6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
- 7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
- 8. DNA Replication1h 10m
- 9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
- 10. Transcription1h 0m
- 11. Translation58m
- 12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
- 13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
- 14. Genetic Control of Development44m
- 15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
- 16. Transposable Elements47m
- 17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
- 18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- 19. Cancer Genetics29m
- 20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
- 21. Population Genetics50m
- 22. Evolutionary Genetics29m
3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance
Overview of interacting Genes
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Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
Which of the following terms describes an interaction between two genes?
A
Penetrance
B
Pleiotropy
C
Incomplete dominance
D
Epistasis

1
Understand the definition of each term: Penetrance refers to the proportion of individuals with a particular genotype that actually displays the phenotype associated with the genotype. Pleiotropy occurs when one gene influences multiple phenotypic traits. Incomplete dominance is a form of inheritance where the phenotype of a heterozygote is intermediate between the phenotypes of the two homozygotes.
Recognize that the question is asking about an interaction between two genes, which means we are looking for a term that involves more than one gene.
Identify that epistasis is the term that describes an interaction between two or more genes, where the effect of one gene is modified by one or several other genes.
Differentiate epistasis from the other terms: Unlike penetrance, pleiotropy, and incomplete dominance, epistasis specifically involves interactions between different genes, rather than effects within a single gene or allele.
Conclude that the correct term describing an interaction between two genes is epistasis, as it involves one gene masking or altering the expression of another gene.
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