Question

The evolutionary oldest example of recombination is seen in:

1) In DNA double strand break repair
2) Meiotic recombination
3) Activity of mobile genetic elements
4) bacterial control of gene expression
5) Movement of viruses between lytic and prophage phases

Answer 1

The oldest example of recombination is DNA double strand break repair; it is fundamental for maintaining genetic integrity across all species and is a precursor to more complex recombination processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The evolutionary oldest example of recombination is seen in DNA double strand break repair. This process is fundamental to maintaining the integrity and diversity of genetic information and is conserved across all species, indicating its importance in evolution. In contrast, processes like meiotic recombination, although critical for genetic diversity in eukaryotes, stem from the same basic need to repair DNA that is seen in the more primitive double strand break repair mechanism.

DNA double strand break repair is crucial for fixing severe types of DNA damage and employs similar mechanisms to those used in later-evolved mechanisms such as meiotic recombination. These repair systems ensure accurate DNA restoration without deletions, which is vital for the survival of a species.