what is pleiotropy (pleioptropic genes)?
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Pleiotropy (from Greek πλείων pleion, "more", and τρόπος tropos, "way") occurs when one gene influences two or more seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. Therefore, a mutation in a pleiotropic gene may have an effect on several traits simultaneously due to the gene coding for a product used by a myriad of cells or different targets that have the same signaling function.
Pleiotropy can arise from several distinct but potentially overlapping mechanisms, such as molecular gene pleiotropy, developmental pleiotropy, and selectional pleiotropy. Molecular gene pleiotropy occurs when the gene product interacts with multiple other proteins or catalyzes multiple reactions. Developmental pleiotropy occurs when mutations have multiple effects on the resulting phenotype. Selectional pleiotropy occurs when the resulting phenotype has many effects on fitness (perhaps depending on factors such as age and gender).[1]
An example of pleiotropy is phenylketonuria, which is an inherited disorder that affects the level of phenylalanine in the body. Phenylalanine is an amino acid that can be obtained from food. Phenylketonuria causes this amino acid to increase in amount in the body, which can be very dangerous. The human disease is caused by a defect in a single gene on chromosome 12 that affects multiple systems, such as the nervous and integumentary system.[2] Other examples of pleiotropy are albinism, sickle cell anemia, and certain forms of autism and schizophrenia. Pleiotropy not only affects humans, but also animals, such as chickens and laboratory house mice, where the laboratory house mice have found to exhibit the "mini-muscle" allele.
Pleiotropy can arise from several distinct but potentially overlapping mechanisms, such as molecular gene pleiotropy, developmental pleiotropy, and selectional pleiotropy. Molecular gene pleiotropy occurs when the gene product interacts with multiple other proteins or catalyzes multiple reactions. Developmental pleiotropy occurs when mutations have multiple effects on the resulting phenotype. Selectional pleiotropy occurs when the resulting phenotype has many effects on fitness (perhaps depending on factors such as age and gender).[1]
An example of pleiotropy is phenylketonuria, which is an inherited disorder that affects the level of phenylalanine in the body. Phenylalanine is an amino acid that can be obtained from food. Phenylketonuria causes this amino acid to increase in amount in the body, which can be very dangerous. The human disease is caused by a defect in a single gene on chromosome 12 that affects multiple systems, such as the nervous and integumentary system.[2] Other examples of pleiotropy are albinism, sickle cell anemia, and certain forms of autism and schizophrenia. Pleiotropy not only affects humans, but also animals, such as chickens and laboratory house mice, where the laboratory house mice have found to exhibit the "mini-muscle" allele.
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The ability of a gene to have multiple phenotypic effects is called pleiotropy.
Ex :- Phenylketonuria (PKU) in humans.
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