pleiotropicadj.
/ˌplʌɪəˈtrəʊpɪk/, /ˌplʌɪəˈtrɒpɪk/, U.S. /ˌplaɪəˈtrɑpɪk/ Genetics.
Relating to or of the nature of pleiotropy; displaying pleiotropy.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > genetic activity > genetic constitution > [adjective] > phenotype > phenotypic effects
pleiotropic1938
penetrant1949
1938 Proc. Royal Soc. B. 125 138 The analysis of the pathological symptoms given above allows us to bring some order into the multitude of ‘pleiotropic’ effects produced by our lethal factor.
1964 New Scientist 17 Dec. 779/3 The streptomycin resistance is ‘pleiotropic’—it brings about simultaneously one or more metabolically unrelated nutritional requirements.
1973 B. J. Williams Evol. & Human Origins ii. 30/1 A gene is said to have pleiotropic effects if it affects more than one phenotypic trait.
1991 D. J. Weatherall New Genetics & Clin. Pract. (ed. 3) xi. 335 The TGFs seem to follow the general rule of many of the cytokines in that their activities are remarkably pleiotropic.
Derivatives
pleioˈtropically adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > genetic activity > genetic constitution > [adverb] > phenotype > phenotypic effects
pleiotropically1944
1944 Amer. Naturalist 78 233 If a gene acts pleiotropically its several effects are not clearly separable.
1987 Nature 10 Dec. 563/1 It is possible that rib development was pleiotropically linked to another character.
2002 M. D. Greenfield Signalers & Receivers vi. 291 A given gene could pleiotropically influence two separate neural elements.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1938