What type of genes would be most likely to exhibit different expression patterns between humans and non-human primates, such as gorillas?

Question

A.  Genes controlling brain development.
B.  Genes controlling mammary gland development.
C.  Genes controlling lung development.
D.  Genes controlling heart development.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
Gather Content
· What do you already know about gene expression patterns?
 
Consider Possibilities · Consider the different answer options. Which can you rule out?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

A.  Genes controlling brain development.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question addresses gene expression patterns.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is asking you to take what you already know and apply it to this unfamiliar situation.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Gene expression patterns are the patterns of where and when genes are expressed in the developing embryo or adult.
        o Primates are the group of mammals that includes humans, other apes, monkeys, and lemurs.
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about gene expression patterns?
        o Gene expression refers to the amount of gene product produced in different times and places in the developing animal.
        o Gene expression is the key to understanding why different organisms end up looking different.
        o The best explanation for why a mouse develops into a mouse and not a human is that the same or similar genes are expressed at different times, in different tissues, and in different amounts and combinations.
 
Consider Possibilities · Consider the different answer options. Which can you rule out?
        o Are the genes for the development of mammary glands, the lungs, or the heart likely to have different expression patterns in humans versus other primates? No, because these are not particular different in humans than in other primates – certainly not as different as our brains are.
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Are the genes for the development of the brain likely to have different expression patterns in humans versus other primates? Yes! Human brains are much larger for our size than the brains of other primates, and have more complex capabilities.
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?         o This question asked which type of genes were most likely to be expressed differently in humans compared to other primates.
        o The question required you to take what you already know and apply it to this unfamiliar situation.
        o Did you recognize that genes for brain developent were the most likely to have changed in humans?