How would you best explain the relationship between number of Hox genes and animal body complexity?
A)Different Hox genes are expressed in different regions of the body.
B)Hox genes have duplicated several times during animal evolution,but they are not responsible for an increase in body plan complexity.
C)An increase in the number of Hox genes allows for greater specialization in different body regions.
D)An increase in the number of Hox genes meant that fewer regulatory genes could be controlled in a species.
E)As the number of Hox genes increases,the number of genes encoding proteins for appendage development decreases.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hox genes play a vital role in the development of animal body plans. They are expressed in different regions of the developing embryo and control the identity and differentiation of body structures. An increase in the number of Hox genes provides greater versatility and specialization in different regions of the body, leading to an increase in the complexity of animal body plans. This is commonly observed in evolutionary transitions where animals with more Hox genes have a more complex body plan compared to those with fewer genes. Thus, option C is the most appropriate, as it explains the relation between the number of Hox genes and animal body complexity.

How Would You Best Explain the Relationship Between Number of Hox