To trace family relationships between distantly related organisms such as humans, algae, bacteria, and archaea, one should compare their genomes in regions …
A) that evolve rapidly.
B) that have a higher mutation rate.
C) that code for proteins.
D) where mutations are hardly tolerated.
E) where most mutations are selectively neutral.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Highly conserved genes that code for optimized, essential, protein or RNA molecules should be studied to trace family relationships across distant taxa. Mutations in these regions (such as the genes that code for ribosomal RNAs) are usually eliminated, making the sequence recognizable even after billions of years of evolutionary history.

To Trace Family Relationships Between Distantly Related Organisms Such as Humans