Question

The insulin used to treat people with diabetes is commonly produced by inserting the DNA sequence for human insulin into a bacterium. The insulin the bacterium produces using that sequence is then harvested. In fact, DNA sequences from virtually any living organism could be inserted into a bacterium and the bacterium would be able to use the sequences to make the same proteins that the original organism did. In what way does this provide evidence for evolution? A. Bacteria must be less evolved than higher organisms since they can still make proteins from the DNA of other organisms.

B. Since bacteria are able to use DNA from other organisms, they must have evolved from them as a common descendant.
C. Since the bacterium was changed by adding a foreign DNA sequence, the bacterium was able to evolve.
D. Since the genetic code is the same across species, these species must have inherited it from a common ancestor.

Answer 1

Correct answer: D). Since the genetic code is the same across species, these species must have inherited it from a common ancestor.

Insulin is a hormone that is known to control the amount of glucose in the blood. It is produced by the pancreatic cells called as islets of Langerhans. These cells release surge of the hormones in response to an increase in the blood glucose level.

The production of human insulin is a multi-step biochemical process that depends upon the recombinant DNA technology and insulin gene. In the production of human insulin the insulin gene is inserted into bacteria and then it is grown on suitable media and bacteria grow on that media and produces insulin that is harvested and packed in a vial and sends to the market for the patient.

Hence, the correct answer would be option D.

Answer 2

Out of the choices given, the way this this provides evidence for evolution is since the genetic code is the same across species, these species must have inherited it from a common ancestor. This will make the correct answer D.