Chapter 4, Problem 4P

Summary Introduction

To examine:  Whether the statement “In a comparison between the DNAs of related organisms such as humans and mice, identifying the conserved DNA sequences facilitates the search for functionally important regions” is true or false.

Concept introduction:   All cells arise from pre existing cells. All organisms have a single celled common ancestor whose genetic material has been conserved throughout the course of evolution at a minor level. Molecular taxonomy uses these conserved DNA sequences to classify organisms accordingly and place the related organisms under one single taxon. Though all the animals and plants differ from each other in structure and habitat, several basic cellular functions remains the same like cell cycle, transcription and replication. The DNA sequences governing these functions also remain the same throughout called as house-keeping genes.