NEETZoologyPrinciples of Inheritance and Variation
What disease is given as an example of pleiotropy?
Options
- ACystic fibrosis
- BSickle cell anemia
- CPhenylketonuria
- DHuntington's disease
Correct answer
C. Phenylketonuria
Step-by-step solution
We have so far seen the effect of a gene on a single phenotype or trait. There are however instances where a single gene can exhibit multiple phenotypic expressions. Such a gene is called a pleiotropic gene. The underlying mechanism of pleiotropy in most cases is the effect of a gene on metabolic pathways which contribute towards different phenotypes. An example of this is the disease phenylketonuria , which occurs in humans. The disease is caused by mutation in the gene that codes for the enzyme phenylalanine hydr