What does it mean that the genetic code is "highly conserved"?
A)it is almost universal and has not changed in millions of years
B)it resists modification from environmental mutagens
C)organisms can only use it a certain number of times
D)all organisms and organelles - without exception - have the exact same genetic code
E)the products of the genetic code - proteins - are almost the same in all organisms

Question

What does it mean that the genetic code is "highly conserved"?  
A)it is almost universal and has not changed in millions of years
B)it resists modification from environmental mutagens
C)organisms can only use it a certain number of times
D)all organisms and organelles - without exception - have the exact same genetic code
E)the products of the genetic code - proteins - are almost the same in all organisms

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

"Highly conserved" means that something has remained almost unchanged over a long period of time. In the case of the genetic code, it is almost universal, meaning that almost all living organisms use the exact same genetic code, and it has not significantly changed in millions of years.

What Does It Mean That the Genetic Code Is "Highly