A Biologist Used Microarrays to Examine How Gene Expression in a Fish

question 236

Multiple Choice

A biologist used microarrays to examine how gene expression in a fish changes with temperature.Refer to the table showing the expression levels of four (of several thousand) genes at varying temperatures.Values for expression have been normalized such that the expression at 15°C for any particular gene is always 100. The product of gene 1246 is an inhibitor of a pigment that makes fish red.Thus, all other things being equal and assuming that a 25 percent change in expression level is sufficient for a color change, what should be expected?

• A) The fish would be the most red at just the highest temperatures.
• B) The fish would be the most red at just the lowest temperatures.
• C) The fish would be the most red at intermediate temperatures, and less red at the extremes.
• D) The fish would be less red at intermediate temperatures, and redder at the extremes.
• E) Fish color should not vary much with temperature.