Some mariner elements show a high degree of similarity between organisms that are separated by millions of years of evolutionary time.What is the current explanation for this?
A) Mariner is highly conserved.
B) Mariner was horizontally transferred by bacterium.
C) Mariner was horizontally transferred by virus.
D) Mariner elements in divergent species have arisen through inter-species breeding events.
E) None of these

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mariner elements, a type of transposable element, are thought to have been horizontally transferred between species by viruses. This mode of transfer can explain the high degree of similarity of these elements in organisms that are evolutionarily distant. Horizontal gene transfer by viruses allows for the direct movement of genes across different species, bypassing the slower process of vertical inheritance and evolutionary divergence.

Some Mariner Elements Show a High Degree of Similarity Between