The Pan Genome of a Microbial Species is Constantly Changing

Question

The pan genome of a microbial species is constantly changing because of
A) bottleneck events.
B) horizontal gene transfer.
C) substitutions.
D) substitution and bottleneck events.

Accepted Answer

The pan genome of a microbial species refers to the total set of genes that can be found among all individuals of that species. Horizontal gene transfer, also known as lateral gene transfer, is the transfer of genetic material between organisms that are not parent and offspring. This process is common among microorganisms and can result in the acquisition of new genes that can become part of the pan genome. As a result, the pan genome of a microbial species is constantly changing due to horizontal gene transfer. Bottleneck events and substitutions can also contribute to changes in the pan genome, but not as consistently as horizontal gene transfer.