Which of the following would, if it had acted upon a gene, prevent this gene from acting as a reliable molecular clock?
A) neutral mutations
B) genetic drift
C) mutations within introns
D) natural selection

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Natural selection would prevent a gene from acting as a reliable molecular clock because it would selectively remove or preserve mutations depending on their impact on fitness, making it difficult to use the gene to reconstruct evolutionary history. Neutral mutations (A) and mutations within introns (C) may still accumulate and be used as a molecular clock, and while genetic drift (B) can affect the frequency of mutations over time, it does not necessarily prevent a gene from acting as a molecular clock.

Which of the Following Would, If It Had Acted Upon