The Pax6 gene,responsible for initiating lens formation in mice,can be inserted into fruit flies and
A)causes cancer of the brain as it tries to initiate a mammalian eye.
B)forms a partial eye since it is somewhat similar to the Pax7 gene of fruit flies.
C)will have no effect,indicating the extreme differences in lens formation.
D)can be expressed to initiate formation of a fruit fly eye,but in the wrong place.
E)it is lethal to them.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Pax6 gene can be expressed in fruit flies to initiate eye formation, but in the wrong place since the gene is not adapted to the fruit fly system. This has been demonstrated experimentally, showing that the expression of Pax6 in the legs, for example, can trigger eye development in that location, even though it is not the normal site for eye formation in fruit flies. Option A is incorrect, as there is no evidence that the expression of Pax6 causes brain cancer. Option B is also incorrect since the Pax7 gene of fruit flies is not related to eye formation. Option C is incorrect because while there are differences between the mechanisms of lens formation in different species, the conservation of some genes across taxa suggests a shared developmental ancestry. Finally, option E is incorrect as the expression of Pax6 is not lethal to fruit flies.

The Pax6 Gene,responsible for Initiating Lens Formation in Mice,can Be