The ability of a single gene to have multiple effects.Group of answer choicesepistasismultifactorialpolygenicpleiotropycodominanceNext

The concept described in your question is best represented by the term pleiotropy.

Explanation:

Pleitropy refers to the phenomenon where a single gene influences multiple phenotypic traits. This means that one gene can have several effects on an organism's characteristics or functions, which can be observed in various biological processes. For example, a gene responsible for a specific enzyme might affect not only one metabolic pathway but also impact other traits like coloration or growth.

In contrast:

1. Epistasis refers to the interaction between genes, where one gene can mask the expression of another.
2. Multifactorial traits are those affected by multiple genes and environmental factors.
3. Polygenic traits are characteristics that are controlled by multiple genes, often leading to a range of phenotypes.
4. Co-dominance refers to a situation where both alleles in a heterozygote are fully expressed.

Thus, the correct choice for the ability of a single gene to exert multiple effects is pleiotropy.