Which statement about pseudogenes is true?
A) There must be more functional genes than pseudogenes in a gene family.
B) Pseudogenes generally look very different from functional genes.
C) Pseudogenes usually arise from gain-of-function mutations.
D) In some gene families, there appears to be little selection pressure for the deletion of pseudogenes. These families have few pseudogenes.
E) In some gene families, there appears to be little selection pressure for the deletion of pseudogenes. These families can have many pseudogenes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pseudogenes are non-functional copies of genes that have accumulated mutations that render them inactive. In some gene families, there appears to be little selection pressure for the deletion of pseudogenes, resulting in the proliferation of pseudogenes. Therefore, it is possible for gene families to have many pseudogenes. Option A is incorrect because the number of functional genes and pseudogenes in a gene family varies and could be equal. Option B is incorrect because pseudogenes can look very similar to functional genes. Option C is incorrect because pseudogenes generally arise from loss-of-function mutations rather than gain-of-function mutations. Option D is incorrect because gene families with pseudogenes may have many or few pseudogenes depending on the level of selection pressure.

Which Statement About Pseudogenes Is True