Question
What does polygenic trait mean in the context of human height?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
A polygenic trait is one that is influenced by multiple genes rather than a single gene. In the context of human height, this means that the height of an individual is determined by the combined effects of many different genes, each contributing a small amount to the overall phenotype (the observable characteristic).
This contrasts with traits that are controlled by a single gene (monogenic traits), where a variation in that one gene can lead to a clear-cut difference in the trait. In polygenic traits like height, the interaction of numerous alleles from various genes leads to a continuous range of phenotypes. This results in variability in height among individuals in a population.
In addition to genetic factors, environmental factors such as nutrition, health during childhood, and overall living conditions also play significant roles in determining height. The complex interplay of numerous genes and environmental influences results in the wide range of heights observed in human populations.
This contrasts with traits that are controlled by a single gene (monogenic traits), where a variation in that one gene can lead to a clear-cut difference in the trait. In polygenic traits like height, the interaction of numerous alleles from various genes leads to a continuous range of phenotypes. This results in variability in height among individuals in a population.
In addition to genetic factors, environmental factors such as nutrition, health during childhood, and overall living conditions also play significant roles in determining height. The complex interplay of numerous genes and environmental influences results in the wide range of heights observed in human populations.