The phenomenon of the interaction between nonallelic genes at two or more loci resulting in one gene masking the phenotypic expression of another gene, is known as:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. epistasis.
The phenomenon where one gene masks the phenotypic expression of another gene at a different locus, involving the interaction of nonallelic genes, is known as epistasis.
- Epistasis: refers to a type of gene interaction where the expression of one gene (the epistatic gene) influences or modifies the expression of another gene (the hypostatic gene).
- In epistasis, the epistatic gene can suppress or mask the phenotypic effect of the hypostatic gene, leading to a different phenotype than expected based on Mendelian inheritance patterns.
- Epistasis is a deviation from the classic Mendelian ratios observed in dihybrid crosses, where the alleles at one locus can modify or mask the expression of alleles at another locus.