[Campbell Biology P.491] Based on the information provided regarding gene numbers for differ... | Practice Question

Based on the information provided regarding gene numbers for different organisms, which of the following statements is correct?

  • A: Homo sapiens has the fewest genes among the three listed organisms.
  • B: Escherichia coli has more genes than Zea mays.
  • C: Zea mays has significantly more genes than Homo sapiens.
  • D: The number of genes is inversely proportional to organism complexity.

Explanation

The "How do genomes differ in number of genes?" section lists: Escherichia coli 4,400 genes , Homo sapiens 21,300 genes , and Zea mays corn 32,000 genes . Comparing these, Zea mays indeed has significantly more genes than Homo sapiens 32,000 vs 21,300 .