Because the morphological and physiological characteristics shared by groups of bacteria are encoded by genes other than the 16S rRNA gene, comparing the traditional groupings to molecular phylogenies generated from rRNA datasets will never produce corresponding results.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While the 16S rRNA gene is a crucial tool for understanding bacterial phylogeny, it is not the sole determinant of morphological and physiological characteristics. However, molecular phylogenies based on 16S rRNA often correspond well with traditional groupings, as this gene provides a reliable means of inferring evolutionary relationships among bacteria, even though it doesn't account for all traits.

Because the Morphological and Physiological Characteristics Shared by Groups of Bacteria