Imagine that you've sequenced the genome of a human pathogenic bacterium.In the early stages of analysis,you discover a stretch of DNA that has a significantly different GC content (the proportion of bases that are G and
A)convergent evolution
B)both sequences are introns
C)a high rate of mutation
D)a low rate of mutation
E)lateral gene transfer

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A significantly different GC content in a stretch of DNA in a human pathogenic bacterium suggests lateral gene transfer, which is the horizontal transfer of genetic material from one organism to another. This transfer can result in the acquisition of novel traits or functions, such as antibiotic resistance genes, that could contribute to the pathogenicity of the bacterium.

Imagine That You've Sequenced the Genome of a Human Pathogenic