How quickly could a genetic toolkit be co-opted to produce a novel trait? Novel

Question

How quickly could a genetic toolkit be co-opted to produce a novel trait? Novel traits cannot arise by co-opting a genetic toolkit because only one individual would have that trait, and as the only one, that individual could not be reproductively successful. Not quickly-a mutation to a regulatory gene can alter gene expression leading to an exaggerated trait, for example, fairly quickly - even within one generation, but novel traits take time. Very quickly - gene duplication can occur within a single generation andd coupled with gene recruitment, can lead to new developmental contexts and the development of novel traits. Fairly quickly - mutations to a genetic toolkit that an organism needs to survive and reproduce will be favored by natural selection and quickly spread through the population.

Explanation / Answer

The correct answer is Not quickly - A mutation can alter the expression of a gene and may change the functionality. But, the appearance of novel traits takes many years and natural selection play a key role. Best example is bone morphogen protein 4 (BMP4). This protein is used for bone formation in both birds and mammals. In birds, this protein functioned to produce beaks. However, this transition took many years!!

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