Thermotoga maritima is a bacterium that can survive extremely high temperatures.Some of its genes most resemble those of archaea that live in similar extreme environments.This is most likely the result of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of genes in Thermotoga maritima that resemble those found in archaea suggests lateral gene transfer, where genetic material is transferred between distantly related organisms, rather than the other options listed. Endosymbiosis involves one organism living inside another, which is not the case here. Conjugation is a process by which bacteria can transfer DNA to one another but does not explain the similarities between Thermotoga maritima and archaea. Convergent evolution occurs when similar traits evolve independently in different organisms and would not necessarily result in shared genetic material. Finally, while common ancestry can explain similarities between organisms, the specific scenario described here suggests lateral gene transfer is more likely.

Thermotoga Maritima Is a Bacterium That Can Survive Extremely High