Epistasis is a phenomenon in which more than one gene loci is responsible for a particular phenotype but the contribution of these loci is not additive in nature. This implies that the expression of one gene locus is masked or modified by the presence of another gene locus.
Further Explanation:
In Mendel’s experiment of a dihybrid cross (pea plant), he examined two different traits that were controlled by two different genes simultaneously. For example, Mendel performed crossing of two pea plants out of which one was homozygous for yellow seed color and round seed shape (RRYY) while the other was homozygous for green seed color and wrinkled seed shape (rryy). The outcome of such crossing was a heterozygous pea plant with round seed shape and yellow seed color (RrYy). <u>This F1 progeny was then self-crossed (RrYy x RrYy) which resulted in an F2 generation containing phenotypes in the ratio 9:3:3:1.
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<u>In such a dihybrid cross, a single phenotype is a result of the independent effect of each gene locus</u>. Therefore, alleles Y and y had only effect on seed color while allele R and r could only affect seed shape and both allelic pairs had no influence on each other’s phenotype. <u>As a result, two different characteristics were encoded by two different genes.
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In certain cases where both the loci affect one particular characteristic, the phenotypic ratio is different from that observed in Mendel’s dihybrid cross. This is because products of two genes are affecting the same phenotype and their effects are not additive. Such genes are known as epistatic genes and the relationship is called epistasis.
Epistasis can occur in the following situations:
• When the effect of an allele at a locus is masked by the other allele at a different locus.
• When different loci interact with each other to form new phenotypes.
• When the presence of one allele at a locus modifies the expression of another allele at other loci.
Epistasis can be of two types:
• Dominant epistasis: When the expression of all the other alleles is masked or suppressed by one dominant allele, it is called dominant epistasis. For example, squash is available in three colors. The yellow color is determined by gene A and is expressed when present as AA or Aa which is dominant over green squash (aa). Another gene B is also responsible for white squash color. The dominant allele B is epistatic to gene A and masks its expression when both the genes are present at the same locus.
• Recessive epistasis: When a homozygous recessive allele inhibits the expression of the other dominant gene, it is termed as recessive epistasis. For example, in Labrador retrievers, B gene locus is responsible for melanin production. The allele B produces black color and is dominant over allele b which produces a brown color. Another locus E gene regulates the melanin deposition in hairs. Therefore, atleast one functional allele E is necessary for the production of brown or black colored hair. The presence of homozygous allele ‘e’ is unable to deposit melanin. As a result, regardless of the presence of any genotype at locus B, the recessive allele ‘ee’ suppresses the expression of B gene locus.
Learn More:
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Answer Details:
Grade: College Biology
Chapter: Epistasis
Subject: Biology
Keywords:
Epistasis, Mendel’s experiment, dihybrid cross, gene, allele, phenotype, genotype, dominant epistasis, recessive epistasis.