What Is the Most Important Result of Horizontal Gene Transfer

question 25

Multiple Choice

What is the most important result of horizontal gene transfer as it relates to human health?

• A) It spreads antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria.
• B) It can explain the occurrence of nonheritable genetic diseases.
• C) It can cause the disappearance of genes from the human genome, leading to disease.
• D) It has been used successfully to treat dozens of diseases, by replacing damaged DNA in the cells of the patient.

---

Definitions:

Epidermis

The outermost layer of cells covering an organism, notably the skin of animals or outer layer of leaves in plants.

Endodermis

The innermost layer of cells in the cortex of a plant root, serving as a selective barrier that regulates the passage of substances from the soil into the vascular cylinder.

Sieve Tube

Sugar-conducting tube of phloem; consists of stacked sieve elements.

Pressure Gradients

A physical quantity that represents the direction and rate at which pressure changes in a particular direction.