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Ch. 21 - Genomes and Their Evolution
Campbell - Campbell Biology 12th Edition
Urry12th EditionCampbell BiologyISBN: 9785794169850Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksUrry 12th EditionCh. 21 - Genomes and Their EvolutionProblem 4
Chapter 21, Problem 4

Below are the amino acid sequences (using single letters; see Figure 5.14) of three short segments of the FOXP2 protein from five species. These segments contain all amino acid differences between the FOXP2 proteins of these species. Compare the amino acid sequences by answering parts (a)–(d).
Chimpanzee: PKSSD ... TSSTT ... NARRD
Mouse: PKSSE ... TSSTT ... NARRD
Gorilla: PKSSD ... TSSTT ... NARRD
Human: PKSSD ... TSSNT ... SARRD
Rhesus monkey: PKSSD ... TSSTT ... NARRD
Circle the names of any species that have identical amino acid sequences for the FOXP2 protein.
a. Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Rhesus monkey
b. Human, Mouse
c. Chimpanzee, Human, Mouse
d. Rhesus monkey, Human, Gorilla

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the amino acid sequences provided for each species: Chimpanzee, Mouse, Gorilla, Human, and Rhesus monkey.
Compare the sequences segment by segment, starting with the first segment (PKSSD for Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Human, and Rhesus monkey; PKSSE for Mouse).
Move to the second segment and compare: TSSTT for Chimpanzee, Mouse, Gorilla, and Rhesus monkey; TSSNT for Human.
Finally, compare the third segment: NARRD for Chimpanzee, Mouse, Gorilla, and Rhesus monkey; SARRD for Human.
Circle the species with identical sequences by checking if all three segments match exactly. In this case, Chimpanzee, Gorilla, and Rhesus monkey have identical sequences.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Amino Acid Sequence

An amino acid sequence is the order of amino acids in a protein, which determines the protein's structure and function. Each amino acid is represented by a single letter code, and variations in the sequence can lead to differences in protein function across species. Understanding these sequences is crucial for comparing proteins like FOXP2 among different organisms.
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Amino Acids

Protein Function and Evolution

Proteins like FOXP2 play specific roles in biological processes, and their sequences can evolve over time, leading to functional changes. Comparing sequences across species helps identify evolutionary relationships and functional conservation or divergence, which is essential for understanding how proteins contribute to species-specific traits.
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Species Comparison

Species comparison involves analyzing genetic or protein sequences to identify similarities and differences. This process helps determine evolutionary relationships and functional conservation. In the context of FOXP2, comparing amino acid sequences across species can reveal which species have identical sequences, indicating potential conservation of function.
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Biological Species Concept
Related Practice
Textbook Question

In the human sequence, underline any amino acid that differs from the sequence for the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey.

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Textbook Question

Homeotic genes

a. Encode transcription factors that control the expression of genes responsible for specific anatomical structures.

b. Are found only in Drosophila and other arthropods.

c. Are the only genes that contain the homeobox domain.

d. Encode proteins that form anatomical structures in the fly.

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Textbook Question

Two eukaryotic proteins have one domain in common but are otherwise very different. Which of the following processes is most likely to have contributed to this similarity?

a. Gene duplication

b. Alternative splicing

c. Exon shuffling

d. Random point mutations

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Textbook Question

In the sequence for the mouse, circle any amino acid that differs from the sequence for the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey. Then draw a box around any amino acid that differs from the human sequence.

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Textbook Question

Below are the amino acid sequences (using single letters; see Figure 5.14) of three short segments of the FOXP2 protein from five species. These segments contain all amino acid differences between the FOXP2 proteins of these species. Compare the amino acid sequences by answering parts (a)–(d).


b. In the sequence for the mouse, circle any amino acid that differs from the sequence for the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey. Then draw a box around any amino acid that differs from the human sequence.

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Textbook Question

Primates and rodents diverged about 65 million years ago, and chimpanzees and humans diverged about 6 million years ago (see Figure 21.17). How many amino acid differences are there between the sequence for the mouse and the sequence for the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey? How many amino acid differences are there between the human se-quence and the sequence for the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey? Based solely on the numbers of amino acid differences occurring over these time periods, what might you hypothesize about the rate of evolution of the FOXP2gene? Based on the information in the chapter regarding the FOXP2 gene, is your hypothesis correct?

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