polygene

pol·y·gene  (pl-jn)

n.

Any of a group of nonallelic genes, each having a small quantitative effect, that together produce a wide range of phenotypic variation. Also called multiple factor, quantitative gene.

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polygene [ˈpɒlɪˌdʒiːn]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Genetics) any of a group of genes that each produce a small quantitative effect on a particular characteristic of the phenotype, such as height

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

polygene - a gene that by itself has little effect on the phenotype but which can act together with others to produce observable variations cistron, gene, factor - (genetics) a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding DNA as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity; "genes were formerly called factors"