Knowledge of the nucleotide sequence for the gene encoding the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) provides little information about the metabolic capabilities of microorganisms found in soil and seawater other than what can be inferred from sequence similarity to 16S rRNA genes from cultured species.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While knowledge of the nucleotide sequence for the gene encoding the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) can provide information about the microbial community present in a sample, it does not provide specific information about metabolic capabilities beyond what can be inferred from sequence similarity to other known organisms.

Knowledge of the Nucleotide Sequence for the Gene Encoding the Small