Question

Occasionally, a single gene may express more than one effect. The phenomenon is called ______.

Options

• pleiotropy

• mosaicism

• polygeny

• multiple allelism

• independent assortment

Answer 1

Occasionally, a single gene may express more than one effect. The phenomenon is called pleiotropy.

Explanation:

Pleiotropy is the phenomenon where a single gene influences more than one distinct trait or effect. For example, in pea plants, a single gene can affect flower color, seed coat color, and the color of the leaf axil. In humans, the sickle cell anemia gene affects not only red blood cell shape but also causes symptoms like anemia and vessel blockage. This shows how one gene can have multiple effects on an organism’s phenotype.