Epistasis = Interaction of different gene loci.
One gene locus masks or surpresses the expression of another gene locus.
The genes involved may control the expression of 1 phenotypic characteristic by either:
- Working AGAINST each other (ANTAGONISTICALLY) resulting in masking.
- Working TOGETHER in a complementary fashion.
Working antagonistically:
- Homozygous presence of a recessive allele may prevent expression of another allele at a second locus.
- Alleles at 1st locus are epistatic to alleles at the 2nd locus (hypostatic).
Epistasis reduces phenotypic variation.
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