Arabidopsis has a genome size much smaller than that of many other plants.What is the most likely explanation for this phenomenon?
A) Compared with most plants, it has fewer of the genes that are shared with animals.
B) Compared with most plants, it has fewer genes devoted to photosynthesis.
C) Compared with most plants, it has less noncoding DNA.
D) Compared with most plants, it has fewer genes that are involved in water transport.
E) Compared with most plants, it has fewer genes that are involved with formation of the cell wall.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most likely explanation for Arabidopsis having a smaller genome size than many other plants is that it has less noncoding DNA. This means that it has a higher proportion of its DNA dedicated to coding for genes and performing essential functions, rather than having a large amount of noncoding or "junk" DNA. This is a common feature of many model organisms that are used in scientific research, as their smaller genomes are easier to study and manipulate than larger, more complex genomes.

Arabidopsis Has a Genome Size Much Smaller Than That of Many