Question
Biology Question on Principles of Inheritance and Variation
A pleiotropic gene
A
controls a trait only in combination with another gene
B
controls multiple traits in an individual
C
is expressed only in primitive plants
D
is a gene evolved during Pliocene.
Answer
controls multiple traits in an individual
Explanation
Solution
The correct answer is B: Controls multiple traits in an individual
It is a gene that can control multiple traits in an individual. A single gene can influence some unrelated traits and characteristics. This is because of the involvement of the biochemical pathways and has the cascade effect on the individual. One of the common examples of pleiotropy is phenylketonuria