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Name: David S.
Status: Educator
Age: 40s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: August 2004
Question:
Dear Sir, is it possible that under certain circumstances what is called recessive gene or trait suddenly become dominant or there is no such case? We had hard arguments on our forum for pigeons where opinions are divided or no opinion at all and therefore I wish to ask this question someone who is certainly authority on this subject!


Replies:
I can't think of a specific example, but a recessive gene may only be recessive in combination with a particular set of other genes. If those genes were replaced by outcrossing with another strain, it's possible that the gene in question could behave as a dominant gene.

Regards, Ron Baker, Ph.D.


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