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Biologists have sequenced the genomes of many organisms - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 17 - 2008 - Paper 1
Question 17
Biologists have sequenced the genomes of many organisms. The number of genes found in organisms varies greatly. Some examples are listed in the table below. | Speci... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Biologists have sequenced the genomes of many organisms - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 17 - 2008 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. larger organisms have larger genomes.
Answer
This statement is not universally true. While larger organisms may have larger genomes, the relationship is not consistent across all species as demonstrated by the data presented. For example, the muscle mouse has a significantly larger genome than the puffer fish, which challenges this statement.
Step 2
B. puffer fish show greater genetic variability than E. coli.
Answer
The genetic variability can be inferred from the larger number of genes in the puffer fish (38,000 genes) compared to E. coli (3,000 genes), suggesting a higher potential for genetic variation. This statement is supported by the data.
Step 3
C. a nematode and flowering mustard plant have the same number of chromosomes.
Answer
This statement is also not supported by the data as it does not provide any information on the number of chromosomes for either the nematode or the flowering mustard plant. Therefore, we cannot conclude that they have the same number.
Step 4
D. the larger the genome of an organism, the greater the number of proteins it produces.
Answer
This statement has a degree of truth based on observations; typically, a larger genome allows for more genes, which can lead to a greater variety of proteins. However, this is not definitive, as other factors like alternative splicing and post-translational modifications also play roles in protein diversity.