Question

When one gene can compensate for the loss of function of another gene, the phenomenon is called?

1) Epistasis
2) Codominance
3) Complementation
4) Polygenic inheritance

Answer 1

Complementation is the phenomenon when one gene can compensate for the loss of function of another gene. The correct option is C.

Step-by-step explanation:

Complementation is the phenomenon when one gene can compensate for the loss of function of another gene. It occurs when two or more genes interact to produce a phenotype.

The phenomenon where one gene compensates for the loss of function of another gene is called complementation, different from epistasis, polygenic inheritance, or codominance.

When one gene can compensate for the loss of function of another gene, the phenomenon is called complementation. This contrasts with epistasis, where the interaction between genes is antagonistic, such that one gene masks or interferes with the expression of another, as seen in mouse coat color where one gene (C) is epistatic to another gene (A), determining whether pigment is expressed. Polygenic inheritance involves several genes contributing to a trait, as with human skin color and height, while codominance occurs when two different alleles at a locus are both fully expressed in a heterozygote.