Multiple Alleles

Alleles are alternative forms of a gene, and they are responsible for differences in phenotypic expression of a given trait (e.g., brown eyes versus green eyes). A gene for which at least two alleles exist is said to be polymorphic. Instances in which a particular gene may exist in three or more allelic forms are known as multiple allele conditions. It is important to note that while multiple alleles occur and are maintained within a population, any individual possesses only two such alleles (at equivalent loci on homologous chromosomes).