Which term refers to the recognizable results of the effect of a gene or group of genes?

Which term refers to the recognizable results of the effect of a gene or group of genes?

• A. Mutation
• B. Trait
• C. Congenital
• D. Genetic

Answer: (B)

Genes influence the observable characteristics of an organism, which are called traits. So the recognizable result of one or more genes is a trait—the trait is what you can see or measure, such as hair color, height, or leaf shape in plants. A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence, not the result itself. Congenital describes conditions present at birth, not the general outcome of gene expression. Genetic simply relates to genes, not the expressed result. Traits capture the actual, detectable expression produced by genes.

Genes influence the observable characteristics of an organism, which are called traits. So the recognizable result of one or more genes is a trait—the trait is what you can see or measure, such as hair color, height, or leaf shape in plants. A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence, not the result itself. Congenital describes conditions present at birth, not the general outcome of gene expression. Genetic simply relates to genes, not the expressed result. Traits capture the actual, detectable expression produced by genes.