Definitions

1. noun

A gene that occurs in several different forms, or alleles, in a population.

“The study of polygenes in humans helped scientists understand the complexity of genetic traits.”

2. noun

A gene that influences a complex trait, such as height or intelligence, which is the result of the interaction of many genes.

“The researchers found that the polygene for height was influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.”

3. noun

A gene that is involved in the regulation of gene expression, and can have multiple alleles with different effects on gene expression.

“The team discovered a polygene that controlled the expression of genes involved in cancer development.”