Genetic analysis of Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy, reveals that its genome has undergone decay over time, losing DNA and acquiring mutations that make some of its genes nonfunctional. What might be some potential reasons for this evolutionary decay of its genome?

Human Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Course List)
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ISBN:9781305251052
Author:Michael Cummings
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Chapter15: Genomes And Genomics
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Problem 11QP: When the human genome sequence was finally completed, scientists were surprised to discover that the...
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Genetic analysis of Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy, reveals that its genome has undergone decay over time, losing DNA and acquiring mutations that make some of its genes nonfunctional. What might be some potential reasons for this evolutionary decay of its genome?

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