What term is used for genes that tend to be inherited together due to being located close on the same chromosome?

The term commonly used to describe genes that are inherited together because they are located close to each other on the same chromosome is linkage. This phenomenon occurs because genes that are physically close on a chromosome are less likely to be separated during the process of meiosis, particularly during crossing over. As a result, they tend to be passed down as a unit to the offspring.

Understanding linkage is crucial in genetics, as it can affect inheritance patterns and the production of gametes. For instance, if two genes are linked, the combinations of alleles in the offspring may reflect their parental combinations more frequently than if they were unlinked. This concept is essential for mapping genes to chromosomes and understanding genetic traits across generations.

In contrast, polygenic characters involve multiple genes contributing to a single trait, sex-linked traits are associated with genes found on sex chromosomes, and codominance refers to a situation where both alleles in a heterozygote are expressed equally. Each of these terms describes different genetic concepts, highlighting why linkage is the correct term for this specific scenario of gene inheritance.