You begin an experiment with two populations of E. coli that are each composed of 100 cells. The cells are all genetically identical (i.e., they are clones). You grow them up in flasks on a lab bench under identical conditions with unlimited resources. After 10,000 generations, you analyze the genome of each population. Do you expect the genomes of each population to be identical after 10,000 generations?
A)Yes, because the starting populations were genetically identical.
B)Yes, because resources were unlimited.
C)Yes, because the same mutations will accumulate independently in each population.
D)No, because natural selection was not a factor at any point in this experiment.
E)No, because mutation and natural selection (once genetic variation is present)were factors in this experiment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mutations are a source of genetic variation, which allows natural selection to act upon. Over 10,000 generations, mutations will accumulate independently in each population, leading to genetic drift (random changes in gene frequency) and possibly the fixation of different alleles in each population. Natural selection will also act upon the genetic variation present in each population, which could lead to the fixation of different alleles or traits between the two populations. Therefore, the genomes of each population are unlikely to be identical after 10,000 generations.

You Begin an Experiment with Two Populations of E