Which of the following statements best describes the reliability of gene testing in the context of interacting genes?

• A. Gene testing is foolproof since it scans all the building blocks of humans.
• B. Gene testing is not foolproof because gene interactions can influence trait expression beyond individual gene sequences.
• C. Gene testing always predicts phenotypes accurately, regardless of gene interactions.
• D. Gene testing is unreliable because genes do not interact with each other.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that gene testing involves analyzing the DNA sequence to identify specific genes or mutations that may influence traits or diseases.
2. Recognize that traits are often influenced by multiple genes interacting with each other, a concept known as epistasis or gene-gene interaction.
3. Acknowledge that because gene interactions can modify how traits are expressed, knowing the sequence of individual genes alone may not fully predict the phenotype.
4. Realize that gene testing is not foolproof since it may not capture the complexity of these interactions or environmental influences that also affect trait expression.
5. Conclude that the most accurate statement reflects that gene testing has limitations due to gene interactions influencing trait outcomes beyond just individual gene sequences.