Question

In order for JPDH to be useful for inferring evolutionary relationships among lancelet, winfrey, best frog, turtle, and leopard, which statement must be true? Select all that apply.

a) JPDH must have a high mutation rate
b) JPDH must be a single gene
c) JPDH must have a slow mutation rate
d) JPDH must be non-functional

Answer 1

c) JPDH must have a slow mutation rate

JPDH, to be useful in inferring evolutionary relationships, must have a slow mutation rate, be a single gene, and be functional. High mutation rates or non-functional states would obscure the historical genetic signals necessary for these types of analyses.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order for JPDH to be useful for inferring evolutionary relationships among lancelet, winfrey, best frog, turtle, and leopard, it is essential that JPDH meets certain criteria. Specifically:

• JPDH must have a slow mutation rate: If JPDH has a slow mutation rate, it allows for the preservation of genetic information over long periods, making it easier to trace back evolutionary relationships without the noise of frequent mutations.
• JPDH must be a single gene: Ensuring that JPDH is a single gene helps maintain consistency in comparing the genetic sequences among different species.
• JPDH must be functional: A functional gene is subject to natural selection and its variations can give insights into evolutionary adaptations and species divergence.

High mutation rate genes like JPDH, if they mutated too quickly, would lose the historical signal required to infer deep evolutionary relationships. Non-functional genes (pseudogenes), while they might accumulate mutations, tend not to reflect evolutionary pressures in the same way and can diverge rapidly due to genetic drift.