Final answer:
In an epistatic interaction between two separate genes, one gene, called the epistatic gene, masks or modifies the expression of another gene, termed the hypostatic gene. T
Step-by-step explanation:
In an epistatic interaction between two separate genes, only one gene is epistatic/antagonistic to another. This means that one gene's expression masks or modifies the expression of another gene, often in a biochemical pathway where the function of one gene depends on the expression of other genes that come before or after it in the sequence. For instance, at least eight genes contribute to eye color in humans, showing how multiple genes can interact to produce a single phenotype. In epistasis, one gene (the epistatic gene) masks or modifies the expression of another gene (the hypostatic gene).
Epistasis refers to a genetic interaction where the expression of one gene (epistatic) interferes with another gene (hypostatic), affecting the overall phenotype. This antagonistic relationship may be seen in complex traits like eye color, which involves multiple genes working together. Understanding epistasis helps explain variations in traits that cannot be accounted for by simple Mendelian genetics alone.