Question

Define polygenic and pleiotropic traits and explain their significance for researchers’ efforts to link human genotypes to phenotypes. Should genes be patented? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Define polygenic and pleiotropic traits and explain their significance for researchers’ efforts to link human genotypes to phenotypes. Should genes be patented? Why or why not?

Polygenic trait is the phenotype, which is controlled by multiple genes. Melanin is an essential component of human skin color. The formation and maturation of melanin is an example of polygenic trait as it is controlled by multiple genes.

Pleotropic trait indicates multiple unrelated phenotypes which are controlled by a single gene. Phenylketoneuria, is an example of polygenic traits, which is a human disorder that occurs due to the deficiency of phenylalanine dehydroxylase, which converts phenylalanine to tyrosine. Phenylketoneuria appears with multiple phenotypes like retardation, eczema and defects in pigment formation which ultimately lighten the human skin coloration. Therefore, all such phenotypes are raised due to mutation at single gene.

Polygenic traits appear due to the action of multiple genes, while pleotropic traits refer all unrelated phenotypes that appear due to the function of a single gene. In case of polygenic traits, the genotype of each individual can vary from each other, as this depends on the multiple genes. In case of pleotropic traits, as it is influenced by the single gene product, thus the different phenotypes are thought to be the result of similar genotypic change at a particular locus in all individual.

Gene should not be patented according to me. One can identify the function of a particular gene at the specific test conditions, but it is a natural things. If scientist patents a particular gene, then replication of this particular gene by others violates the law. This raises a barrier to invent something new function of this particular gene, which may be associated with any different aspect that is not tested before.