EVOLUTION CONNECTION

Question

Comparisons of amino acid sequences can shed light on the evolutionary divergence of related species. If you were comparing two living species, would you expect all proteins to show the same degree of divergence?

Select the two correct statements.

All proteins will show the same degree of divergence because all cellular functions are essential to the survival of the organism.
All proteins will show different degrees of divergence because some cellular functions are more essential than others to the survival of the organism.
All proteins will show different degrees of divergence because different species exhibit different patterns of behavior and have different metabolic pathways.
All proteins will show different degrees of divergence because different species live in different habitats and experience different selection pressure.
All proteins will show the same degree of divergence because they are modified with the same rate of evolution.
All proteins will show the same degree of divergence because different species experience the same selection pressure.

Answer 1

The two correct statements are:

1. All proteins will show different degrees of divergence because some cellular functions are more essential than others to the survival of the organism.

2. All proteins will show different degrees of divergence because different species live in different habitats and experience different selection pressure.

These statements reflect the fact that not all proteins are subject to the same evolutionary pressures and constraints, leading to varying degrees of divergence among amino acid sequences in different proteins across related species.