If you knew the sequence of a gene in one organism, how could you determine if another organism had a similar gene?
A)treat the genomes of both organisms with the same restriction enzyme and compare the patterns of the bands produced with gel electrophoresis
B)insert the known gene into a vector and use the vector to insert the known gene into the other organism
C)create labeled DNA probes from the known gene and use them to search the genome of the other organism
D)create a hybrid of the two organisms by breeding them and check for mutations

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Creating labeled DNA probes from the known gene and using them to search the genome of the other organism is the most accurate way to determine if another organism has a similar gene. This technique is called hybridization and it allows for complementary base pairing between the labeled probes and the DNA sequences in the genome of the other organism. If the gene is present in the genome of the other organism, it will bind to the probe and can be detected by visualization of the label. Option A involves using restriction enzymes which only cut specific DNA sequences and may not detect a similar gene if it has a different sequence. Option B involves inserting the known gene into the other organism, which is not always feasible or desirable. Option D involves breeding two organisms which may not always be possible, and it does not allow for precise determination of the presence or absence of the gene.

If You Knew the Sequence of a Gene in One