Beta-lactamases are proteins found in many bacteria that can degrade beta-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin. Families of these proteins are coded by genes with similar sequences even though they are found in a variety of bacteria. These genes would be considered to be
A) paralog.
B) orthologs.
C) open reading frames (ORFs).
D) introns.
E) aligned sequences.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Orthologs are genes in different species that evolved from a common ancestral gene by speciation and retain the same function. In the context of beta-lactamase genes found across various bacteria, these genes are considered orthologs because they share a common ancestor and perform the same function (degrading beta-lactam antibiotics) across different bacterial species.

Beta-Lactamases Are Proteins Found in Many Bacteria That Can Degrade