Sickle-cell disease is caused by a single mutation in the DNA of a particular gene. A person with this disease has red levels, b
lood clots, and strokes. This is an example of___________________. A. codominance.
B. a multifactorial trait.
C. pleiotropy.
D. incomplete dominance.
E. polygenic inheritance.
Pleiotropy is a characteristic that defines a gene that is responsible for the development of multiple traits, which often seem to be unrelated. Sickle-cell disease is an example of a disease caused by the mutation of a pleiotropic gene, resulting in the person developing red levels, blood clots, and strokes. Other example is the disease phenylketonuria, at which the affected person suffers from a mental disorder and reduced hair and skin pigmentation by a single mutation in a single gene on chromosome 12.
Fruit flies produce offspring relatively fast and have specific traits, such as eye color and body color/shape. They are easy to observe and their traits are easily traced throughout the next generations.
