A new gene is discovered that dramatically aids in the digestion of fish. You hypothesize that populations with a history of being near the shoreline would have more copies of this gene than populations found farther inland. How would you classify this genetic difference?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This genetic difference is likely a copy number variation (CNV), as the populations near the shoreline have had selective pressure to develop adaptations to a diet heavy in fish. The increase in the number of copies of the gene responsible for aiding in fish digestion would be a CNV.

A New Gene Is Discovered That Dramatically Aids in the Digestion