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Q31 - Grafting Reveals Barriers to Gene and Genome Transfer Between Species

Theoretical B Real exam question - full text reproduced under IBO's CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
Extranuclear & Non-Mendelian Inheritance Speciation & Reproductive Isolation

In nature, different plant species can graft together. An experiment was done where shoots from species A were grafted onto roots of species B. Plant chloroplast and nuclear genomes were independently transformed with different antibiotic resistance genes (Kan and Spec). Single cells from the shoot, root, and graft junction were excised, then grown on agar with antibiotics. Surviving cells are grown into adult plants. Plants phenotype is denoted by its colour.

Figure 1 for Q31: Grafting Reveals Barriers to Gene and Genome Transfer Between Species

Using the information and data, determine which of the statements are true or which are false.

A. Chloroplasts can travel the complete length of the plant.
B. Genomes can be transferred between species.
C. Plants which grow on the agar plates from (1) can cross with their parents.
D. Plants which grow on the agar plates from (2) can cross with their parents.
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Question reproduced from IBO 2017, Theoretical Exam B, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 - attributed to the International Biology Olympiad. Open the full exam PDF · Official answer key & worked solutions