Biology STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Practice Test

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the Biology STAAR Test. Improve your skills with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question is accompanied by hints and explanations. Prepare for success!

Start Multiple Choice Practice Test
Start Flash Cards

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What are multiple alleles?

  1. Traits determined by a single gene with two variations

  2. Traits influenced by two genes only

  3. Traits controlled by more than two alleles in a population

  4. Traits that are recessive only

The correct answer is: Traits controlled by more than two alleles in a population

Multiple alleles refer to the existence of more than two different alleles for a single gene in a population. This means that for a particular gene, there can be several variations, each producing different phenotypes. A classic example is the ABO blood group system in humans, where the presence of A, B, and O alleles leads to four possible blood types: A, B, AB, and O. Understanding this concept is crucial in genetics as it highlights the complexity of inheritance beyond simple dominant and recessive traits, which are typically determined by only two alleles. Recognizing multiple alleles allows for a deeper comprehension of genetic diversity within a population. The other choices do not accurately describe the concept; they either refer to traits governed by a limited number of alleles or suggest incorrect distinctions about genetic dominance.

More Questions Like This