Question

What is the difference between polygenic and pleiotropy?

Answer 1

Pleiotropy:

It describes a phenomenon in which a single gene has many phenotypic consequences.

Polygenic inheritance:

Various plant and animal features and phenotypic characteristics, including height, skin pigmentation, hair and eye colour, and milk and egg production, are inherited through many alleles found in diverse loci. This is referred to as polygenic inheritance.

Difference between pleiotropy and polygenic inheritance:

Sr. No.	Pleiotropy	Polygenic inheritance
1.	Pleiotropy is the regulation of multiple traits by a single gene.	Polygenic inheritance refers to a trait being controlled by multiple genes.
2.	Pleiotropy has 2 or more than 2 genotypic outcomes.	It has a wide range of genotypic results.
3.	One gene has effect on a certain characteristic.	A certain attribute is influenced by several genes.
4.	It is based on Mendelian Inheritance.	It follows a pattern of non-Mendelian inheritance.
5.	It is usually unaffected by environmental variables.	Environmental influences have a significant impact on traits.
6.	Albinism, phenylketonuria, autism, sickle cell anaemia, and Marfan syndrome are examples.	Controls the height, weight, shape of the body, eye colour, and hair colour of humans.