Genes that are likely to undergo lateral transfer are those that
A) are involved in antibiotic resistance.
B) confer a fitness advantage to the recipient.
C) are highly conserved and involved in DNA replication.
D) Both a and b
E) Both b and c

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Genes that confer antibiotic resistance provide a selective advantage to the recipient and are therefore likely to undergo lateral transfer. Similarly, genes that confer a fitness advantage to the recipient are also likely to undergo lateral transfer. Therefore, answer choice D, which includes both options, is the best choice. Highly conserved DNA replication genes are less likely to undergo lateral transfer.

Genes That Are Likely to Undergo Lateral Transfer Are Those