All things being equal, which of these is the most parsimonious explanation for the change in the number of Hox genes from the last common ancestor of insects and vertebrates to ancestral vertebrates, as shown in the table above?

A) The occurrence of seven independent duplications of individual Hox genes.
B) The occurrence of two distinct duplications of the entire seven-gene cluster, followed by the loss of one cluster.
C) The occurrence of a single duplication of the entire seven-gene cluster.


Answer: C) The occurrence of a single duplication of the entire seven-gene cluster.

Biology & Microbiology

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In the study of microbial communities, a new technique, called microelectrodes, is helping us to infer data about microbial activity.  Microelectrodes are capable of measuring which of the following data?

A. Measuring pH B. Measuring oxygen and nitrogen tension C. Measuring DNA amounts in the sample D. Measuring electron donors and receptors

Biology & Microbiology