The 16S ribosomal subunit is used to study evolutionary relatedness because
A) it is the easiest type of RNA to sequence
B) ribosomes have evolved very slowly
C) ribosomes evolve very quickly so differences are easy to spot
D) none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ribosomes have evolved very slowly, which means that differences between different species can be traced back to their common ancestor. The 16S subunit is also conserved and present in all prokaryotes and some eukaryotes, making it a useful tool for studying evolutionary relationships.

The 16S Ribosomal Subunit Is Used to Study Evolutionary Relatedness