The rate differences between molecular clocks are due largely to differences in _____. Thus, the extreme case of a fast molecular clock is derived from a _____.
A)the intensity of selection; histone proteins
B)the size of the molecule; pseudogenes
C)the intensity of selection; pseudogene
D)the size of the molecule; histone proteins
E)None of the answer options is correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The rate differences in molecular clocks are largely due to the intensity of selection, and the extreme case of a fast molecular clock is derived from a pseudogene. This is because pseudogenes are not under selective pressure and can accumulate mutations at a faster rate than functional genes. Size of the molecule and histone proteins are not the primary factors affecting molecular clock rates.

The Rate Differences Between Molecular Clocks Are Due Largely to Differences