Why do histone genes have a very slow molecular clock?
A)The structure of the histone gene must be conserved for DNA to function properly.
B)Histone genes simply do not have the same rate of mutations.
C)DNA-correcting mechanisms function more readily with histone genes.
D)Cells have more histone genes than any other kind of gene.
E)Histone genes normally have self-correcting mechanisms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Histone genes have a very slow molecular clock because the structure of the histone gene must be conserved for DNA to function properly. Histones are proteins that package DNA, and any changes in their structure could disrupt the packaging of DNA, leading to errors or mutations. Therefore, histone genes need to be highly conserved and any mutations that do occur are likely to be harmful, which results in a slow molecular clock.

Why Do Histone Genes Have a Very Slow Molecular Clock