The total number of possible amino acid sequences in a polypeptide chain is staggering. Given that there are 20 amino acids, potentially there could be20100 different amino acid sequences just for polypeptides only 100 amino acids in length. However, the actual number of different polypeptides occurring in organisms is only a tiny fraction of this potential. What insight does this finding provide into the evolutionary process?

The total number of possible amino acid sequences in a polypeptide chain is staggering. Given that there are 20 amino acids, potentially there could be20100 different amino acid sequences just for polypeptides only 100 amino acids in length. However, the actual number of different polypeptides occurring in organisms is only a tiny fraction of this potential. What insight does this finding provide into the evolutionary process?

Human Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Course List)

11th Edition

ISBN:9781305251052

Author:Michael Cummings

Publisher:Michael Cummings

Chapter15: Genomes And Genomics

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 11QP: When the human genome sequence was finally completed, scientists were surprised to discover that the...

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