Editing Genetic architecture (section)

{{short description|Underlying genetic basis of a phenotypic trait and its variational properties}}
'''Genetic architecture''' is the underlying genetic basis of a [[phenotype|phenotypic]] [[Trait (biological)|trait]] and its variational properties.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|title = The Evolution of Genetic Architecture|journal = Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics|date = 2006-01-01|pages = 123–157|volume = 37|issue = 1|doi = 10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.37.091305.110224|first = Thomas F.|last = Hansen}}</ref> Phenotypic variation for [[quantitative traits]] is, at the most basic level, the result of the [[Mendelian inheritance|segregation of alleles]] at [[Quantitative trait locus|quantitative trait loci (QTL)]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|title = The Genetic Architecture of Quantitative Traits|journal = Annual Review of Genetics|date = 2001-01-01|pmid = 11700286|pages = 303–339|volume = 35|issue = 1|doi = 10.1146/annurev.genet.35.102401.090633|first = Trudy F. C.|last = Mackay}}</ref> Environmental factors and other external influences can also play a role in phenotypic variation. Genetic architecture is a broad term that can be described for any given individual based on information regarding gene and allele number, the distribution of allelic and mutational effects, and patterns of [[pleiotropy]], [[Dominance (genetics)|dominance]], and [[epistasis]].<ref name=":0" />

There are several different experimental views of genetic architecture. Some researchers recognize that the interplay of various genetic mechanisms is incredibly complex, but believe that these mechanisms can be averaged and treated, more or less, like statistical noise.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title = The Genetical Theory Of Natural Selection|url = https://archive.org/details/geneticaltheoryo031631mbp|publisher = At The Clarendon Press|date = 1930-01-01|first = R. A.|last = Fisher}}</ref> Other researchers claim that each and every gene interaction is significant and that it is necessary to measure and model these individual systemic influences on evolutionary genetics.<ref name=":0" />