One of the first medical tests a newborn receives determines if the child has phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU is the result of a mutation in a single gene that causes mental retardation and a host of other phenotypes (light hair and skin color, eczema, and a "mousy" smell). By detecting PKU early, doctors are able to reduce the effect of this condition with a modified diet. PKU is an example of
A)epistasis.
B)a polygenic trait.
C)pleiotrophy.
D)codominance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

PKU is a clear example of pleiotropy, as a single gene mutation can result in multiple phenotypic effects.

One of the First Medical Tests a Newborn Receives Determines