Carl Woese and collaborators identified two major branches of prokaryotic evolution. What was the basis for dividing prokaryotes into two domains?
A) microscopic examination of staining characteristics of the cell wall
B) metabolic characteristics such as the production of methane gas
C) metabolic characteristics such as chemoautotrophy and photosynthesis
D) genetic characteristics such as ribosomal RNA sequences
E) ecological characteristics such as the ability to survive in extreme environments

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Carl Woese and collaborators divided prokaryotes into two domains based on genetic characteristics such as ribosomal RNA sequences. Differences in the sequences of these molecules suggested that there were fundamental differences in the evolutionary history of prokaryotes, leading to the identification of two distinct domains: Bacteria and Archaea.

Carl Woese and Collaborators Identified Two Major Branches of Prokaryotic