Phenotypic variation is the functional unit that evolution acts upon and is the main contributor to the diversity of species. The phenotype of an individual is shaped by genetic and environmental factors. These genetic and environmental factors contribute to biomedically relevant traits such as an individual’s susceptibility to disease and...
Individuals within a species vary in complex phenotypes, such as responses to toxins. This drug-response variation causes patients who are treated with the same medicine to experience a range of side effects, ultimately decreasing the efficacy of some drugs. Particular genetic variants among individuals might contribute to differential drug responses,...