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Related Concept Videos

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
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Gene-Environment Interactions01:20

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Social behavior is a complex phenomenon that arises from the interaction between biological predispositions and environmental influences. This intricate interplay shapes how individuals think, feel, and act in various social contexts. Understanding these mechanisms requires insights from psychology, neuroscience, genetics, and evolutionary theory.Environmental Influences on Social BehaviorEnvironmental factors, including temperature, odors, and visual stimuli, play a crucial role in shaping...
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Genetic variations significantly influence drug response through pharmacokinetics, receptor interactions, and biologic milieu modifications. Pharmacokinetic alterations impact drug metabolism and clearance, affecting efficacy and toxicity. Variants in drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, alter drug activation and elimination. For example, CYP2C9 loss-of-function variants require lower warfarin doses to prevent excessive bleeding, while CYP2C19 variants reduce clopidogrel...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions
07:54

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions

Published on: March 9, 2021

The relationship between phenotypic and environmental variation: do physiological responses reduce interindividual

Marjorie F Oleksiak1, Douglas L Crawford

  • 1Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149, USA.

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ
|October 27, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A variable environment may reduce phenotypic differences among individuals by altering transcription factor concentrations. This physiological canalization of gene expression can hide genetic variation, potentially explaining persistent genetic diversity in populations.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Environmental variation is generally thought to increase phenotypic variation.
  • Understanding how populations maintain high genetic diversity is a key question in evolutionary biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of a variable environment on phenotypic variation.
  • To propose a hypothesis explaining how environmental changes might decrease, rather than increase, phenotypic differences.

Main Methods:

  • The study presents a speculative hypothesis supported by mechanistic explanations.
  • It discusses the role of physiological responses and transcription factor (TF) regulation.

Main Results:

  • A variable environment may minimize phenotypic differences by altering TF concentrations.
  • This process reduces the impact of genetic polymorphisms on gene expression and phenotypes.

Conclusions:

  • Physiological mechanisms maintaining homeostasis in variable environments can canalize phenotypic variation.
  • This canalization may reduce the evolutionary costs of genetic polymorphism, allowing high genetic variation to persist.