AP Biologymediummcq1 pt

One human gene yields different protein forms in neurons and in muscle although its DNA sequence is identical in both tissues. Which process explains this?

A.Alternative splicing combines exons differently in each tissue, producing related but distinct mRNAs
B.Each tissue translates the shared mRNA in a different reading frame by default
C.Neurons remove unused exons from their chromosomes during differentiation
D.The gene accumulates tissue-specific mutations after fertilization in each lineage

Explanation

Core Concept

Splice choices depend on regulatory proteins present in a given cell type. One tissue may include an exon that another skips, changing the reading frame or adding a functional domain. A single gene thus supplies multiple protein variants, expanding proteome diversity beyond gene count.

Correct Answer

AAlternative splicing combines exons differently in each tissue, producing related but distinct mRNAs

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