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Chapter 29: Problem 15

Which would you expect to exhibit a faster rate of evolutionary change, the nucleotide sequence of a gene or the amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide of the same gene? Explain your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The nucleotide sequence of a gene would likely exhibit a faster rate of evolutionary change compared to the amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide, due to the redundancy of the genetic code which makes the amino acid sequence more conserved.

Step by step solution

01

Define the Components

To begin, it's important to know what a nucleotide sequence and an encoded polypeptide are. A nucleotide sequence is the order of nucleotides in a DNA or RNA molecule, or the order of bases in a DNA or RNA sequence. An encoded polypeptide is the series of amino acids that are formed according to the sequence of nucleotides in a gene.
02

Explain the Evolutionary Change

In terms of evolutionary change, mutation is the primary source of new genetic variation. Any changes in the nucleotide sequence can result in new variations. However, due to the degenerate nature of the genetic code, where several different codons (triplets of nucleotides) can code for the same amino acid, not all mutations will result in a change in the amino acid sequence of the resulting polypeptide. This implies that the nucleotide sequence of a gene can undergo more variations without altering the function of the gene product.
03

Draw Conclusions

Since the genetic code is redundant, mutations in the nucleotide sequence will not always result in changes in the amino acid sequence. Therefore, it can be concluded that the nucleotide sequence of a gene would exhibit a faster rate of evolutionary change in comparison to the amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide of the same gene, because the latter is more conserved due to the biological fitness of the resultant protein.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

When comparing the coding regions of a protein-encoding gene among closely related species, certain regions are commonly found to have evolved more rapidly (i.e., have tolerated more changes in sequence) than other regions. Explain why different regions of a protein-encoding gene evolve at different rates.

What is meant by the term reproductive isolation? Give several examples.

Plant seeds contain storage proteins that are encoded by the plant's genes. When a seed germinates, these proteins are rapidly hydrolyzed (i.e., the covalent bonds between amino acids within the polypeptides are broken), which releases amino acids for the developing seedling. Would you expect the genes that encode plant storage proteins to evolve more slowly or more rapidly than genes that encode enzymes? Explain your answer.

Describe three or more genetic mechanisms that may lead to the rapid evolution of a new species. Which of these genetic mechanisms are influenced by natural selection, and which are not?

Would each of the following examples of reproductive isolation be considered a prezygotic or postzygotic mechanism? A. Horses and donkeys can interbreed to produce mules, but the mules are infertile. B. Three species of the orchid genus Dendrobium produce flowers 8 days, 9 days, and 11 days after a rainstorm. The flowers remain open for 1 day. C. Two species of fish release sperm and eggs into seawater at the same time, but the sperm of one species do not fertilize the eggs of the other species. D. Two tree frogs, Hyla chrysoscelis (diploid) and Hyla versicolor (tetraploid), can produce viable offspring, but the offspring are sterile.
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