Natural Selection and Evolution - Part 6 (Week 9)

Question 1

What are the types of data that document the pattern of evolution?

Answer 1

1. Direct observations
2. Homology
3. The fossil record
4. Biogeography

Question 2

What is an obvious direct observation of evolutionary change?

Answer 2

Feeding - most effective when beak length = closely matched to seed depth within the fruit

Question 3

What is the most common bacterium found on humans?

Answer 3

Staphylococcus Aureus - causes a range illnesses e.g. skin infections

Question 4

How does methicillin work?

Answer 4

• inhibits a protein used by bacteria to produce cell walls
• MRSA bacteria use a different protein in cell wall
• MRSA bacteria = more likely to survive + reproduce than non-resistant S. aureus strains
• MRSA strains = now resistant to many antibiotics
  (antibiotics selects for survival)