Question

One of the things that the genomics revolution has taught us is that we see considerable variation in genome size. Which of the following explains most of this variation?

1) Differences in the number of protein coding genes
2) Differences in the number ribosomal RNA genes
3) Differences in the number of pseudogenes
4) Differences in the number of mobile genetic elements

Answer 1

Differences in the number of protein coding genes explain most of the variation in genome size.Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Step-by-step explanation:

The considerable variation in genome size can be explained by a variety of factors. However, the most significant factor is differences in the number of protein coding genes. While there is no correlation between genome size and the number of genes coded, the presence of more protein coding genes can contribute to a larger genome size. Other factors, such as differences in the number of ribosomal RNA genes, pseudogenes, and mobile genetic elements, can also contribute to genome size variation, but they are not the primary explanation.