Studies of Rough-Skinned Newts Have Documented Their Ability to Produce

question 27

Multiple Choice

Studies of rough-skinned newts have documented their ability to produce toxins in defense against a predator attack. The common garter snake, a predator of rough-skinned newts, exhibits a resistance to the toxin produced by the newt. In response, newts have been observed to produce increasingly potent toxins, which in turn results in selection for snakes with even greater resistance to the toxin. What phrase best describes this interaction between rough-skinned newts and garter snakes?

• A) host-parasite coevolution
• B) obligate mutualism
• C) evolutionary arms race
• D) diffuse coevolution

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Definitions:

Nucleic Acid

Macromolecules, such as DNA or RNA, composed of nucleotides that carry genetic information or are involved in controlling cellular processes.

Protein

Large biomolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino acids, essential for structure, function, and regulation of the body's cells, tissues, and organs.

Molecular Chaperones

Proteins that assist in the proper folding of other proteins within the cell, preventing misfolding and promoting cellular health.

Folding

The process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape or conformation through interactions among its amino acids.