figure 15.4
-SIV causes symptomless infections in monkeys and apes,yet causes AIDS-like disease in chimpanzees.HIV is closely related to SIV and causes AIDS in humans.Which of the following is the best explanation for these observations?

Question

figure 15.4 
-SIV causes symptomless infections in monkeys and apes,yet causes AIDS-like disease in chimpanzees.HIV is closely related to SIV and causes AIDS in humans.Which of the following is the best explanation for these observations?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that SIV causes symptomless infections in monkeys and apes, while causing AIDS-like disease in chimpanzees, suggests that chimpanzees and humans have a more recent common ancestor. This is because the similarity in the response to SIV and HIV between chimpanzees and humans is greater than that observed in other primates, suggesting that there may be a genetic basis for susceptibility to the virus. This hypothesis is supported by genetic evidence, which shows that humans and chimpanzees share a more recent common ancestor than either does with other primates.

Figure 15.4 -SIV Causes Symptomless Infections in Monkeys and Apes,yet Causes AIDS-Like