(d)Primates and rodents diverged about 65 million years ago, and chimpanzees and humans diverged about 6 million years ago (see Figure 21.17). How many amino acid differences are there between the sequence for the mouse and the sequence for the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey? How many amino acid differences are there between the human se-quence and the sequence for the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey? Based solely on the numbers of amino acid differences occurring over these time periods, what might you hypothesize about the rate of evolution of the FOXP2gene? Based on the information in the chapter regarding the FOXP2 gene, is your hypothesis correct?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the amino acid sequences for the FOXP2 gene in each of the species mentioned: mouse, chimpanzee, gorilla, rhesus monkey, and human. This data is typically obtained from a genetic database or published research.
2. Align the amino acid sequences of the FOXP2 gene from each species using a sequence alignment tool. This step is crucial for accurately comparing the sequences and identifying differences.
3. Count the number of amino acid differences between the mouse sequence and the sequences of the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey. Record these differences separately for each comparison.
4. Similarly, count the number of amino acid differences between the human sequence and the sequences of the chimpanzee, gorilla, and rhesus monkey. Again, record these differences separately for each comparison.
5. Analyze the number of differences in the context of the evolutionary time scale provided (65 million years for primates and rodents divergence, and 6 million years for chimpanzees and humans divergence). Hypothesize about the rate of evolution of the FOXP2 gene based on these differences, and consult the chapter information on the FOXP2 gene to see if your hypothesis aligns with established findings.