A paralog ________.
A) is found for every gene in mammals
B) is only found on the X but not the Y chromosome
C) can explain the lack of phenotype for a gene knockout
D) cannot be mutated
E) has the same DNA sequence as the original duplicated gene

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Paralogs are genes that arise from gene duplication events, resulting in two or more genes with similar DNA sequences that likely perform similar or slightly different functions. If one paralog is knocked out, another paralog may be able to take over or compensate for its function, leading to a lack of phenotype for the knockout. Therefore, choice C is the best option. Choices A, B, D, and E are incorrect because they are either not true or not related to the function of paralogs.

A Paralog ________