Question

Part A
You will create a molecular clock model for an arthropod gene. Follow these guidelines to make your model:

Your timeline will span from 90 million years ago to the present. The common ancestor in your model is an arthropod that lived 90 million years ago. The gene that you’ll track codes for a protein in the species’ venom.
The DNA sequence you’ll track contains 10 nitrogen bases. You can choose the order of the bases and where the mutations occur.
This gene mutates at a rate of approximately 0.76 base pairs every 17.1 million years. To build your model, calculate the estimated time period it takes for 1 base pair to mutate.
The first time period will only show the common ancestor. At the beginning of the second time period, three lineages will diverge from the common ancestor, each with a different mutation in their gene sequences.
The first and third descendant species will survive for the rest of the timeline. The second descendant species was extinct 50 million years ago.
Calculate how long it will take for one full base pair mutation to occur. Explain your reasoning by constructing a mathematical equation.

Answer 1

Based on the mutation rate of the molecular clock, it will take 22.5 million years for one full base pair mutation to occur.

What is a molecular clock?

A molecular clock is a biomolecule which is chosen to serve as a clock due to its periodical changes in a regular pattern.

Mutation in genes can serve as molecular clock.

The mutation in the gene of coding for the venom mutates at a rate of 0.76 base pairs every 17.1 million years.

It will take 17.1/0.76 = 22.5 million years for 1 base pair to mutate.

Therefore, it will take 22.5 million years for one full base pair mutation to occur.

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