Question

** Need All Answered **

One line of evidence supporting the Neutral Theory of molecular evolution is that, in most cases, silent substitution rates are higher than replacement substitution rates.  

a) True

b) False

In the douc langur, a duplication of the RNAse 1 gene resulted in the evolution of an enzyme ( RNAse 1B ) that was six times more efficient. What was the fate of the original copy?

a) It became a pseudogene and was fixed out of the population by natural selection.

b) It continued to digest viral RNAs.

c) It was recruited to a new function.

d) It eventually acquired so many mutations that it faded into the genomic background.

Molecular data suggest that Sahelanthropus is the most recent common ancestor between humans and African apes.

a) True

b) False

Answer 1

1) It is true as most of the mutations are silent that means the resulting mutation only changes the codon on mRNA but not the amino acid coded by it.

2) Option A is correct as the function of that gene is done more efficiently by another gene i.e., RNAse 1B the former gene will be eliminated due to natural selection as presence of RNAse 1B gene is sufficient for survival of an organism.

3) False; As chimpanzee are the recent common ancestor between humans and african apes.