What are polygenic and multiple allele inheritance patterns?

Polygenic inheritance involves the contribution of multiple genes to a single trait, while multiple allele inheritance refers to the presence of more than two alleles of a gene in a population.

Polygenic inheritance is a complex pattern of inheritance where multiple genes contribute to the expression of a single trait. This results in a continuous variation of the trait, rather than distinct categories. Examples of polygenic traits include height, skin colour, and intelligence. Polygenic traits are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, making them difficult to predict or control.

Multiple allele inheritance occurs when a gene has more than two alleles in a population. This means that there are more than two variations of the gene that can be expressed. A classic example of multiple allele inheritance is the ABO blood group system in humans, where there are three alleles: A, B, and O. The A and B alleles are codominant, while the O allele is recessive. This results in four possible blood types: A, B, AB, and O.

Both polygenic and multiple allele inheritance patterns contribute to the genetic diversity of populations. Understanding these patterns is important in fields such as genetics, medicine, and agriculture.