Question 1

Name three methods that pathogens use to subvert their host's immune system.

Accepted Answer

Pathogens have evolved various strategie

Question 2

All of the following are evolved immune defenses that attempt to isolate pathogens, minimize the harm they cause, and remove them from the body, EXCEPT ________ systems.

Accepted Answer

A)  bacterial restriction modification 
B)  vertebrate adaptive immune 
C)  viral reverse transcription 
D)  plant innate immunity 
A)  bacterial restriction modification 
B)  vertebrate adaptive immune 
C)  viral reverse transcription 
D)  plant innate immunity

Question 3

What is the likely phylogenetic explanation for the crossing of food and air pathways in humans?

Accepted Answer

A)  A connection between the two previously separated pathways evolved to allow for an alternative air intake in case of a "stuffy nose." 
B)  Lungs evolved as an extension of the esophagus rather than as a separate organ system. 
C)  Access to odor receptors in the nose allowed for assessing food quality before swallowing. 
D)  A connection between both pathways allowed for a more efficient swallowing mechanism. 
A)  A connection between the two previously separated pathways evolved to allow for an alternative air intake in case of a "stuffy nose." 
B)  Lungs evolved as an extension of the esophagus rather than as a separate organ system. 
C)  Access to odor receptors in the nose allowed for assessing food quality before swallowing. 
D)  A connection between both pathways allowed for a more efficient swallowing mechanism.

Question 4

Figures A and B show the effect of a late- and an early acting mutation on the lifetime fitness of individuals. Reproduction begins at day 30. Using the graphs, how would you determine which of the two mutations had a greater effect on lifetime fitness?

Accepted Answer

Lifetime reproductive success is shown b

Question 5

Which of the following strategies allows vertebrate hosts to counteract the asymmetries in evolutionary rates between most pathogens and their hosts?

Accepted Answer

A)  lateral gene transfer between the host's immune system cells 
B)  shortened generation times in infected hosts 
C)  generation of variation and selection on cells of the host's immune system 
D)  rapid population growth of host organisms 
A)  lateral gene transfer between the host's immune system cells 
B)  shortened generation times in infected hosts 
C)  generation of variation and selection on cells of the host's immune system 
D)  rapid population growth of host organisms

Question 6

Which of the two viral phylogenies below shows the signature of a recent, epidemic population expansion? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

The terminal branches on phylo

Question 7

This figure shows the basal and fever temperatures for various vertebrates. If fever conferred only benefits, and had no costs, how might you expect this graph to differ?

Accepted Answer

A)  Basal temperatures would be more like fever temperatures. 
B)  Fever temperatures would be lower than basal temperatures. 
C)  Ectotherms would have higher basal temperatures than endotherms. 
D)  Basal temperatures would be even lower than fever temperatures. 
A)  Basal temperatures would be more like fever temperatures. 
B)  Fever temperatures would be lower than basal temperatures. 
C)  Ectotherms would have higher basal temperatures than endotherms. 
D)  Basal temperatures would be even lower than fever temperatures.

Question 8

Consider Niko Tinbergen's four levels of explanation and complete the following sentence: ________ explanations tell us about the immediate mechanisms that precipitate a particular disease, and ________ explanations tell us how processes such as natural selection leave the body vulnerable to disease.

Accepted Answer

A)  Developmental; phylogenetic 
B)  Evolutionary; developmental 
C)  Proximate; evolutionary 
D)  Phylogenetic; proximate 
A)  Developmental; phylogenetic 
B)  Evolutionary; developmental 
C)  Proximate; evolutionary 
D)  Phylogenetic; proximate

Question 9

How can age-specific antagonistic pleiotropy account for senescence?

Accepted Answer

A)  An allele that confers benefits at a young age might be favored even if it is deleterious at a later age. 
B)  Mutations that occur early in life are likely to produce more mutations later in life. 
C)  Early acting mutations are acted on more strongly by selection than late-acting mutations. 
D)  Alleles that confer benefits early in life also tend to confer benefits later in life. 
A)  An allele that confers benefits at a young age might be favored even if it is deleterious at a later age. 
B)  Mutations that occur early in life are likely to produce more mutations later in life. 
C)  Early acting mutations are acted on more strongly by selection than late-acting mutations. 
D)  Alleles that confer benefits early in life also tend to confer benefits later in life.

Question 10

An increased susceptibility to developing myopia, shortsightedness, is thought to be a consequence of spending time doing "near work," in which the eye is focused on an object, such as a book or computer, less than two feet away. What is the most likely evolutionary explanation for this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Natural selection has not had time to catch up with rapid changes in the environment, for example, humans' work environments. 
B)  Humans are locked in a coevolutionary arms race with pathogens. 
C)  Natural selection favors reproductive success, even at the expense of vulnerability to disease. 
D)  Some defenses may be unpleasant to experience, but they are beneficial adaptations rather than maladies. 
A)  Natural selection has not had time to catch up with rapid changes in the environment, for example, humans' work environments. 
B)  Humans are locked in a coevolutionary arms race with pathogens. 
C)  Natural selection favors reproductive success, even at the expense of vulnerability to disease. 
D)  Some defenses may be unpleasant to experience, but they are beneficial adaptations rather than maladies.

Question 11

What is the proximate mechanism for choking?

Accepted Answer

A)  Lungs evolved from pouches in the digestive system. 
B)  An object gets stuck in the trachea, preventing airflow to the lungs. 
C)  The epiglottis covers the trachea, so food enters the esophagus. 
D)  the phylogenetic relationship between fish and mammals 
A)  Lungs evolved from pouches in the digestive system. 
B)  An object gets stuck in the trachea, preventing airflow to the lungs. 
C)  The epiglottis covers the trachea, so food enters the esophagus. 
D)  the phylogenetic relationship between fish and mammals

Question 12

Under which of Randy Nesse and George Williams' evolutionary explanations for disease does the antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis for senescence fall?

Accepted Answer

A)  Natural selection has not had time to catch up with environmental changes. 
B)  Natural selection lacks foresight; we are stuck with historically contingent relics of the past. 
C)  Natural selection favors reproductive success, even at the expense of vulnerability to disease. 
D)  Some disease symptoms, though unpleasant, are actually beneficial. 
A)  Natural selection has not had time to catch up with environmental changes. 
B)  Natural selection lacks foresight; we are stuck with historically contingent relics of the past. 
C)  Natural selection favors reproductive success, even at the expense of vulnerability to disease. 
D)  Some disease symptoms, though unpleasant, are actually beneficial.

Question 13

Plants do not have a germ line and gametes are derived from cell lines that are also responsible for the growth of the organism. Can the disposable soma hypothesis be applied to plants?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes; trade-offs between reproduction and repair are still possible. 
B)  Yes; plants have a much higher physiological tolerance for the effects of mutations. 
C)  No; the distinction between somatic cells and germ line is at the heart of the hypothesis. 
D)  No; plants do not produce eggs or sperm but rather gametophytes that represent an additional generation. 
A)  Yes; trade-offs between reproduction and repair are still possible. 
B)  Yes; plants have a much higher physiological tolerance for the effects of mutations. 
C)  No; the distinction between somatic cells and germ line is at the heart of the hypothesis. 
D)  No; plants do not produce eggs or sperm but rather gametophytes that represent an additional generation.

Question 14

This table shows the values for heritability of life span in four different species. Why do these data refute the rate-of-living hypothesis for senescence?

Accepted Answer

The rate-of-living hypothesis posits tha

Question 15

This figure shows the process of clonal selection and clonal expansion in the vertebrate adaptive immune system. Describe two steps in this process that resemble evolution by natural selection.

Accepted Answer

The answer of This figure shows the process of clonal...

Question 16

How does the disposable soma hypothesis account for the abundance of alleles that show antagonistic pleiotropy with respect to age?

Accepted Answer

A)  Alleles that increase the degree of investment in reproduction must also lead to increased investment in repair. 
B)  There is a fundamental trade-off between investment in reproduction and investment in repair. 
C)  Because somatic cells are disposable, mutations that affect the soma will not experience selection. 
D)  Extrinsic mortality results in increased investment in protecting the soma. 
A)  Alleles that increase the degree of investment in reproduction must also lead to increased investment in repair. 
B)  There is a fundamental trade-off between investment in reproduction and investment in repair. 
C)  Because somatic cells are disposable, mutations that affect the soma will not experience selection. 
D)  Extrinsic mortality results in increased investment in protecting the soma.

Question 17

Experimental infection of lizards with heat-killed bacteria by Linda Vaughn et al. (1974) resulted in behavioral changes that led to ________ in the lizards.

Accepted Answer

A)  higher body temperature 
B)  increased rates of mortality 
C)  lower reproductive success 
D)  increased levels of aggression 
A)  higher body temperature 
B)  increased rates of mortality 
C)  lower reproductive success 
D)  increased levels of aggression

Question 18

This graph shows a correlation between body mass and longevity for flightless mammals, but bats lie well above the trend line for flightless mammals. Which of the following is likely true based on these data?

Accepted Answer

A)  Flightless mammals experience stronger selection for increased longevity than bats. 
B)  Bats carry more alleles that experience antagonistic pleiotropy than flightless mammals. 
C)  Bats have higher metabolic rates than flightless mammals. 
D)  Bats have lower rates of extrinsic mortality than flightless mammals. 
A)  Flightless mammals experience stronger selection for increased longevity than bats. 
B)  Bats carry more alleles that experience antagonistic pleiotropy than flightless mammals. 
C)  Bats have higher metabolic rates than flightless mammals. 
D)  Bats have lower rates of extrinsic mortality than flightless mammals.

Question 19

Which of the following supports the rate-of-living hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  the presence of longevity mutations that confer slower rates of senescence 
B)  high heritability of life span in many species 
C)  birds with much longer life spans than mammals of comparable metabolic rate 
D)  correlation between high longevity and low metabolic rate within a species 
A)  the presence of longevity mutations that confer slower rates of senescence 
B)  high heritability of life span in many species 
C)  birds with much longer life spans than mammals of comparable metabolic rate 
D)  correlation between high longevity and low metabolic rate within a species

Question 20

Asymmetric division in Caulobacter crescentus allowed Ackermann et al. (2003) to measure the reproductive rate of these bacteria relative to their age. This figure shows the age-specific reproductive output for three replicate experiments. What do these data demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Bacteria can undergo senescence. 
B)  Bacteria do not contain a germ line and therefore do not age. 
C)  The reproductive rate of bacteria increases as they age. 
D)  Reproduction in bacteria does not depend on age. 
A)  Bacteria can undergo senescence. 
B)  Bacteria do not contain a germ line and therefore do not age. 
C)  The reproductive rate of bacteria increases as they age. 
D)  Reproduction in bacteria does not depend on age.

Name three methods that pathogens use to subvert their host's immune system.

All of the following are evolved immune defenses that attempt to isolate pathogens, minimize the harm they cause, and remove them from the body, EXCEPT ________ systems.

What is the likely phylogenetic explanation for the crossing of food and air pathways in humans?

Figures A and B show the effect of a late- and an early acting mutation on the lifetime fitness of individuals. Reproduction begins at day 30. Using the graphs, how would you determine which of the two mutations had a greater effect on lifetime fitness?

Which of the following strategies allows vertebrate hosts to counteract the asymmetries in evolutionary rates between most pathogens and their hosts?

Which of the two viral phylogenies below shows the signature of a recent, epidemic population expansion? Explain your answer.

This figure shows the basal and fever temperatures for various vertebrates. If fever conferred only benefits, and had no costs, how might you expect this graph to differ?

Consider Niko Tinbergen's four levels of explanation and complete the following sentence: explanations tell us about the immediate mechanisms that precipitate a particular disease, and explanations tell us how processes such as natural selection leave the body vulnerable to disease.

How can age-specific antagonistic pleiotropy account for senescence?

An increased susceptibility to developing myopia, shortsightedness, is thought to be a consequence of spending time doing "near work," in which the eye is focused on an object, such as a book or computer, less than two feet away. What is the most likely evolutionary explanation for this phenomenon?

What is the proximate mechanism for choking?

Under which of Randy Nesse and George Williams' evolutionary explanations for disease does the antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis for senescence fall?

Plants do not have a germ line and gametes are derived from cell lines that are also responsible for the growth of the organism. Can the disposable soma hypothesis be applied to plants?

This table shows the values for heritability of life span in four different species. Why do these data refute the rate-of-living hypothesis for senescence?

This figure shows the process of clonal selection and clonal expansion in the vertebrate adaptive immune system. Describe two steps in this process that resemble evolution by natural selection.

How does the disposable soma hypothesis account for the abundance of alleles that show antagonistic pleiotropy with respect to age?

Experimental infection of lizards with heat-killed bacteria by Linda Vaughn et al. (1974) resulted in behavioral changes that led to ________ in the lizards.

This graph shows a correlation between body mass and longevity for flightless mammals, but bats lie well above the trend line for flightless mammals. Which of the following is likely true based on these data?

Which of the following supports the rate-of-living hypothesis?

Asymmetric division in Caulobacter crescentus allowed Ackermann et al. (2003) to measure the reproductive rate of these bacteria relative to their age. This figure shows the age-specific reproductive output for three replicate experiments. What do these data demonstrate?

An Overview of Evolutionary Biology

Early Evolutionary Ideas and Darwin S Insight

Natural Selection

Phylogeny and Evolutionary History

Inferring Phylogeny

Transmission Genetics and the Sources of Genetic Variation

The Genetics of Populations

Evolution in Finite Populations

Evolution at Multiple Loci

Genome Evolution

The Origin and Evolution of Early Life

Major Transitions

Evolution and Development

Species and Speciation

Extinction and Evolutionary Trends

The Evolution of Sex

The Evolution of Sociality

Coevolution

Human Evolution

Filters

Exam 20: Evolution and Medicine

Name three methods that pathogens use to subvert their host's immune system.

All of the following are evolved immune defenses that attempt to isolate pathogens, minimize the harm they cause, and remove them from the body, EXCEPT ________ systems.

What is the likely phylogenetic explanation for the crossing of food and air pathways in humans?

Figures A and B show the effect of a late- and an early acting mutation on the lifetime fitness of individuals. Reproduction begins at day 30. Using the graphs, how would you determine which of the two mutations had a greater effect on lifetime fitness?

Which of the following strategies allows vertebrate hosts to counteract the asymmetries in evolutionary rates between most pathogens and their hosts?

Which of the two viral phylogenies below shows the signature of a recent, epidemic population expansion? Explain your answer.

This figure shows the basal and fever temperatures for various vertebrates. If fever conferred only benefits, and had no costs, how might you expect this graph to differ?

How can age-specific antagonistic pleiotropy account for senescence?

An increased susceptibility to developing myopia, shortsightedness, is thought to be a consequence of spending time doing "near work," in which the eye is focused on an object, such as a book or computer, less than two feet away. What is the most likely evolutionary explanation for this phenomenon?

What is the proximate mechanism for choking?

Under which of Randy Nesse and George Williams' evolutionary explanations for disease does the antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis for senescence fall?

Plants do not have a germ line and gametes are derived from cell lines that are also responsible for the growth of the organism. Can the disposable soma hypothesis be applied to plants?

This table shows the values for heritability of life span in four different species. Why do these data refute the rate-of-living hypothesis for senescence?

This figure shows the process of clonal selection and clonal expansion in the vertebrate adaptive immune system. Describe two steps in this process that resemble evolution by natural selection.

How does the disposable soma hypothesis account for the abundance of alleles that show antagonistic pleiotropy with respect to age?

Experimental infection of lizards with heat-killed bacteria by Linda Vaughn et al. (1974) resulted in behavioral changes that led to ________ in the lizards.

This graph shows a correlation between body mass and longevity for flightless mammals, but bats lie well above the trend line for flightless mammals. Which of the following is likely true based on these data?

Which of the following supports the rate-of-living hypothesis?

Asymmetric division in Caulobacter crescentus allowed Ackermann et al. (2003) to measure the reproductive rate of these bacteria relative to their age. This figure shows the age-specific reproductive output for three replicate experiments. What do these data demonstrate?

An Overview of Evolutionary Biology

Early Evolutionary Ideas and Darwin S Insight

Natural Selection

Phylogeny and Evolutionary History

Inferring Phylogeny

Transmission Genetics and the Sources of Genetic Variation

The Genetics of Populations

Evolution in Finite Populations

Evolution at Multiple Loci

Genome Evolution

The Origin and Evolution of Early Life

Major Transitions

Evolution and Development

Species and Speciation

Extinction and Evolutionary Trends

The Evolution of Sex

The Evolution of Sociality

Coevolution

Human Evolution

Filters