Paralogous genes that have lost the function of coding for any functional gene product are known as "pseudogenes." Which of these is a valid prediction regarding the fate of pseudogenes over evolutionary time?
A) They will be preserved by natural selection.
B) They will be highly conserved.
C) They will ultimately regain their original function.
D) They will be transformed into orthologous genes.
E) They will have relatively high mutation rates.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pseudogenes, lacking any functional gene product, are not subject to strong selective pressures, and therefore their mutation rate may be relatively high. Because they do not contribute to an organism's fitness, their sequence is free to accumulate mutations without significant consequences. Over time, these mutations may render the pseudogene completely non-functional or result in significant divergence from the original parent sequence.

Paralogous Genes That Have Lost the Function of Coding for Any