In the Igf2 Gene, Which Allele is Expressed

Question

In the Igf2 gene, which allele is expressed?
A) Paternal
B) Maternal
C) Both maternal and paternal
D) Neither allele is expressed

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is called genomic imprinting, and refers to the differential expression of genes depending on their parental origin. In the case of Igf2, only the paternal allele is expressed, while the maternal allele is silenced by DNA methylation.