Question

Alternative splicing has been estimated to occur in more than 95% of multi-exon genes. Which of the following is not an evolutionary advantage of alternative splicing?

a) Increased protein diversity
b) Conservation of genetic material
c) Rapid adaptation to environmental changes
d) Regulation of gene expression

Answer 1

Rapid adaptation to environmental changes is not an evolutionary advantage of alternative splicing, which instead contributes to increased protein diversity and gene expression regulation by allowing various protein isoforms from a single gene.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alternative splicing has been estimated to occur in more than 95% of multi-exon genes in eukaryotes. Among the options provided, c) Rapid adaptation to environmental changes is not an evolutionary advantage of alternative splicing. While alternative splicing contributes to increased protein diversity and regulation of gene expression by allowing a single gene to produce multiple protein isoforms, which can be expressed in different tissues or developmental stages, it does not directly lead to rapid adaptation to environmental changes. That type of adaptation typically involves changes at the genetic level, such as mutations or recombination events that alter the DNA sequence, rather than the post-transcriptional modification of mRNA.