Which is an important assumption in dating evolutionary distances by the molecular clock?
A) Different genes evolve at the same rate in the same lineage.
B) A particular gene evolves at the same rate in all lineages of interest.
C) Different genes evolve at different rates in the same lineage.
D) The events being dated happened more than about a million years ago.
E) The events being dated happened less than about a million years ago.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The molecular clock assumes that a particular gene evolves at a relatively constant rate across all lineages of interest, allowing for the estimation of evolutionary timescales based on the number of genetic differences between sequences. This assumption is necessary for accurate dating of evolutionary distances using the molecular clock.

Which Is an Important Assumption in Dating Evolutionary Distances by the Molecular