A surprising finding of environmental metagenomic studies is that a majority of genes in the environment are
A) from microbes grown in the lab.
B) viral in origin.
C) eukaryotic in origin.
D) from extinct microorganisms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Environmental metagenomic studies have shown that a significant proportion of genes in the environment are viral in origin. This is because viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth and can infect a range of hosts, including bacteria and eukaryotes. Viruses also have a high rate of mutation and horizontal gene transfer, leading to a diverse range of viral genes in the environment.

A Surprising Finding of Environmental Metagenomic Studies Is That a Majority