Genetics Concepts and Traits

The video explores Mendelian inheritance, focusing on continuous variation and polygenic traits. It explains how multiple genes contribute to phenotypes, using human height as an example. A model of polygenic inheritance is detailed, showing how different genotypes result in varied phenotypes. The concept of pleiotropy is introduced, where one gene affects multiple traits. The video also covers multiple alleles and their role in phenotypic variation, using rabbit coat color as an example. Finally, it introduces gene interaction and epistasis as further complexities in inheritance.

What did Mendel primarily study in his experiments?

• Discrete traits like flower color

• Continuous traits like human height

• Environmental effects on plants

• Animal behavior

What is an example of a trait that shows continuous variation?

• Seed shape in pea plants

• Human height

• Flower color in pea plants

• Leaf size in a single plant species

In the model of polygenic inheritance, what does each large allele contribute?

• An increase in height

• A change in color

• A decrease in height

• No change in height

What is pleiotropy?

• Genes that do not affect any trait

• Multiple genes affecting one trait

• Genes that only affect plant height

• One gene affecting multiple traits

What is an example of a trait influenced by multiple alleles?

• Rabbit coat color

• Animal behavior

• Human eye color

• Plant height

What is epistasis?

• Interaction between alleles of the same gene

• Interaction between alleles of different genes

• A single gene affecting multiple traits

• Genes that do not interact at all