Are phenotypes the same? - Genetics myths and reality
Are phenotypes the same?
Can people have identical phenotypes?
Can you change your phenotype?
Can siblings have different genotypes?
How are different phenotypes produced?
Uniqueness of Phenotype
Everyone has a unique phenotype — even identical twins. For most people, your genotype is unique, and even if you’re an identical twin you may be subject to different environmental influences and experiences than your twin; as a result, your phenotype will be different.
The phenotype may change constantly throughout the life of an individual because of environmental changes and the physiological and morphological changes associated with aging. … The interplay between genotype and phenotype is remarkably complex, however.
X and Y chromosome differences mean that brothers and sisters can never have identical genotypes. However, brothers have the same DNA on their Y chromosomes.
Phenotypic variation can be produced by genetic differences, environmental influences and stochastic developmental events.