If the Mutation Rate of Individual Genes Is Taken to Be

question 31

Multiple Choice

If the mutation rate of individual genes is taken to be about one in 100,000 genes per cell cycle across many organisms, we might expect evolution to proceed at a consistent rate for various forms of life. Which factor could make the accumulation of gene mutations faster or slower among different organisms?

• A) Organisms with more genes will likely have more mutations per generation.
• B) More selection of mutations can occur in a shorter period of time for bacteria that replicate each twenty minutes than for humans with a (roughly) 20-year generation span.
• C) Organisms vary in the proportion of DNA that is active and in the percent of loci that have multiple alleles.
• D) All of the choices are correct.

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