Question

After growing a culture of E. coli bacteria in the presence of the T1 phage, you discover that sub-cultures taken from the original exposure show a tremendous fluctuation in the number of colonies that are resistant to the T1 phage. This fluctuation supports which of the following theories?

A. Spontaneous mutation theory
B. Lamarckian Inheritance Theory
C. Horizontal Gene Transfer Theory
D. Selection Pressure Theory
E. Adaptive Evolution Theory
F. Viral Escape Theory

Answer 1

The fluctuation in the number of colonies of E. coli bacteria that are resistant to T1 phage supports the Horizontal Gene Transfer Theory.

Step-by-step explanation:

The fluctuation in the number of colonies of E. coli bacteria that are resistant to the T1 phage supports the Horizontal Gene Transfer Theory. This theory suggests that bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance genes through the transfer of genetic material from one bacteria to another. In this case, the T1 phage may be facilitating the transfer of resistance genes between different E. coli bacteria, leading to the fluctuation in resistant colonies.