Why is Ribosomal RNA Especially Useful for the Study of Phylogenetic

Question

Why is ribosomal RNA especially useful for the study of phylogenetic relationships?
A) It is only found in some species, helping to distinguish them from others.
B) It is highly conserved.
C) It is highly variable.
D) It is extremely short.

Accepted Answer

Ribosomal RNA is highly conserved, meaning that it changes slowly over time, which makes it particularly useful for studying evolutionary relationships between different species. Its high level of conservation also allows researchers to compare ribosomal RNA sequences across a wide range of organisms, providing insight into the deep evolutionary history of life on Earth.