45.5k views
4 votes
A green spotted pufferfish is less complex than a gorilla; however the pufferfish has many more genes than the gorilla (G-value paradox). Which of the following is the least likely explanation for this observation?

User Jfcartier
by
7.9k points

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The least likely explanation for the G-value paradox, where pufferfish have more genes than gorillas but are less complex, is the assumption that more genes directly cause greater complexity. More plausible explanations might involve non-coding DNA or differences in gene regulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The G-value paradox refers to the observation that there is not a consistent relationship between the complexity of an organism and the number of genes it has. The observation that a green spotted pufferfish has more genes than a gorilla but is considered less complex is an example of this paradox. The least likely explanation for this observation is that having more genes directly leads to a more complex organism. More plausible explanations might include the presence of non-coding DNA, regulatory sequences, or differences in gene expression that contribute to complexity in ways that are not strictly related to gene count.

User Alexander Shukaev
by
8.1k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.