What is the difference between multiple alleles and polygenes?
Multiple alleles:
Multiple alleles are the alleles present at loci with more than one allele in the population.
Polygenes:
Polygene inheritance is defined as a quantitative inheritance in which multiple independent genes have an additive or similar effect on a single quantitative trait.
Multiple alleles | Polygenic |
Definition: Multiple alleles affect the same trait because they are alternative forms of the same gene. | Definition: Polygenes are members of a group of non-epistatic genes that interact additively to affect phenotypic characteristics. |
DNA strands involved: Multiple allele inheritance is carried out on the same DNA strand. | DNA strands involved: polygenic inheritance is carried out on multiple DNA strands. |
Genes involved: Multiple alleles entail multiple variants of the same gene. | Genes involved: polygenic features controlled by a set of non-allelic genes. |
Environmental factors: Environmental factors have little effect on trait determination when several alleles are expressed. | Environmental factors: In polygenic inheritance when environmental influences have a considerable impact on the determination of a characteristic. |
Example:
| Example: Antibiotics are generated in numerous places of the DNA to combat bacteria and other infections, which is an example of polygenic inheritance. |