Question 1. Assume you identify five members of a multi-gene family that are expressed in the same tissues. All 5 genes appear to be equally expressed in all tissues. You also have discovered a null allele for one of the genes.
a. Why might an organism need 5 genes all expressing the same protein in a single cell or tissue?
b. What do you suppose the phenotype of an animal homozygous for this null allele might be? Explain your answer in terms of gene expression and levels needed to observe a phenotype.
c. What do you suppose the phenotype of an animal homozygous for a missense mutation in the same gene might be? The missense mutation has been shown to cause the protein to form large aggregates