Genotype–phenotype distinction
The genotype–phenotype distinction is drawn in
Overview
The terms "genotype" and "phenotype" were created by Wilhelm Johannsen in 1911,[2] although the meaning of the terms and the significance of the distinction have evolved since they were introduced.[3]
It is the organism's physical properties that directly determine its chances of survival and reproductive output, but the inheritance of physical properties is dependent on the inheritance of genes. Therefore, understanding the theory of evolution via natural selection requires understanding the genotype–phenotype distinction. The genes contribute to a trait, and the phenotype is the observable manifestation of the genes (and therefore the genotype that affects the trait). If a white mouse had recessive genes that caused the genes responsible for color to be inactive, its genotype would be responsible for its phenotype (the white color).[citation needed]
The mapping of a set of genotypes to a set of phenotypes is sometimes referred to as the genotype–phenotype map.[4]
An organism's genotype is a major (the largest by far for morphology) influencing factor in the development of its phenotype, but it is not the only one. Even two organisms with identical genotypes may differ in their phenotypes, due to phenotypic plasticity. To what extent a particular genotype influences a phenotype depends on the relative dominance, penetrance, and expresivity of the alleles in question.
One experiences this in everyday life with
Phenotypic plasticity
The concept of
Genetic canalization
In contrast to phenotypic plasticity, the concept of genetic canalization addresses the extent to which an organism's phenotype allows conclusions about its genotype. A phenotype is said to be canalized if mutations (changes in the genome) do not noticeably affect the physical properties of the organism. This means that a canalized phenotype may form from a large variety of different genotypes, in which case it is not possible to exactly predict the genotype from knowledge of the phenotype (i.e. the genotype–phenotype map is not invertible). If canalization is not present, small changes in the genome have an immediate effect on the phenotype that develops.
Importance to evolutionary biology
According to
(adapted from Lewontin 1974, p. 12). T1 represents the genetic and
In practice, there are two bodies of evolutionary theory that exist in parallel, traditional population genetics operating in the genotype space and the
References
- PMID 19956802.
- PMID 24691957.
- ^ Taylor, Peter; Lewontin, Richard. "The Genotype-Phenotype Distinction". Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- PMID 20083632.
- ISBN 978-0231083188.