fenotypet

Fenotypet is the set of observable characteristics of an organism that arise from the expression of its genes in combination with environmental influences. It includes physical traits such as morphology and coloration, physiological properties like metabolism and enzyme activity, and behavioral traits. Fenotypet can be measured directly or inferred from biomarkers and observations.

Fenotypet is determined by the genotype but is not strictly dictated by it. Gene regulation, epigenetic modifications, developmental processes, and environmental factors such as nutrition, temperature, and social interactions shape which traits are expressed and to what extent. Phenotypic plasticity refers to changes in fenotypet in response to different environments, while stochastic events during development can introduce random variation.

Traits in fenotypet are categorized as morphological, physiological, or behavioral. Many traits are polygenic and show continuous variation, while a smaller number are monogenic. Studying fenotypet (phenotyping) uses direct observation, measurements, imaging, and increasingly high-throughput automated assays in plants and model organisms.

Fenotypet has central importance in evolution, as natural selection acts on heritable phenotypic variation that influences fitness. In medicine and agriculture, fenotypet guides diagnosis, prognosis, and selection strategies. The term phenome is used to describe the complete set of phenotypes for a given organism.