Question

Around 40% of cats with white fur and blue eyes are deaf. The gene responsible is pleiotropic. What does this mean?

Answer 1

Pleiotropic: Producing or having multiple effects from a single gene. For example, the Marfan gene is pleiotropic, potentially causing such diverse effects as long fingers and toes (arachnodactyly), dislocation of the lens of the eye, and dissecting aneurysm of the aorta.

Answer 2

Answer:

The correct answer is "A single gene is responsible for pigmentation and hearing".

Explanation:

A gene that is pleiotropic affects the phenotype at different traits. One example of pleiotropic gene is found on cats, where a single gene is responsible for pigmentation and hearing. There is still no scientific consensus of how the gene affects the two traits, but there is evidence in mice that suggest that the gene that affects pigmentation affects the maintenance of fluids in ear canals.