Question

A new species of archaean prokaryote is found living a hot spring. When a scientist sequences its genome in an attempt to discover its evolutionary relationships she discovers something strange. Most of the genome is similar to the genomes of several well known archaean species. However one enzyme is very similar to that found in a species of bacteria that also lives in hot springs. The enzyme does not have a function related to living in hot springs. What is the most likely explanation for this similarity in the enzymes.

Group of answer choices

a. Migration of the archaean species from another hot spring

b. Lateral gene transfer between the bacterium and the archaean

c. Genetic drift

d. movement of a mobile genetic element within the archaean

e. Convergent evolution in the archaean and the bacterium

Answer 1

Answer is b.

The lateral gene transfer or horizontal gene transfer occurs between the bacteria and archean species. The bacteria transfer the genes for this enzyme to the archean. This leads to create this new species bacteria in the hot spring. The most common method of diversifying of bacterial species is lateral gene transferm