Horizontal gene transfer occurs when an organism of one species acquires genetic material from an organism of another species through nonreproductive means. The genetic material can then be transferred “vertically” in the second species—that is, through reproductive inheritance. Scientist Atma Ivancevic and her team have hypothesized infection by invertebrate parasites as a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer between vertebrate species: while feeding, a parasite could acquire a gene from one host, then relocate to a host from a different vertebrate species and transfer the gene to it in turn.

Question

Horizontal gene transfer occurs when an organism of one species acquires genetic material from an organism of another species through nonreproductive means. The genetic material can then be transferred “vertically” in the second species—that is, through reproductive inheritance. Scientist Atma Ivancevic and her team have hypothesized infection by invertebrate parasites as a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer between vertebrate species: while feeding, a parasite could acquire a gene from one host, then relocate to a host from a different vertebrate species and transfer the gene to it in turn.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A)   It explains why parasites are less susceptible to horizontal gene transfer than their hosts are.
A
It explains why parasites are less susceptible to horizontal gene transfer than their hosts are.
(Choice B)   It clarifies why some genes are more likely to be transferred horizontally than others are.
B
It clarifies why some genes are more likely to be transferred horizontally than others are.
(Choice C)   It contrasts how horizontal gene transfer occurs among vertebrates with how it occurs among invertebrates.
C
It contrasts how horizontal gene transfer occurs among vertebrates with how it occurs among invertebrates.
(Choice D, Checked)   It describes a means by which horizontal gene transfer might occur among vertebrates.
D
It describes a means by which horizontal gene transfer might occur among vertebrates.
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GPT-4o mini · Answer

The underlined portion of the text discusses the hypothesis proposed by scientist Atma Ivancevic and her team regarding how invertebrate parasites can facilitate horizontal gene transfer between vertebrate species through their feeding behavior. This explanation focuses on a specific mechanism by which genetic material can be exchanged between different species via parasites.

Therefore, the choice that best describes the function of the underlined portion is:

(Choice D) It describes a means by which horizontal gene transfer might occur among vertebrates.