Flowering plants have common ancestors with other plants and plant-like organisms. The table below shows the last common ancestor shared between flowering plants and two other types of organisms.

Question

Last common ancestor with flowering plants
Cone-producing plants 250 million years ago
Green Algae 500 million years ago
A scientist compares the amino acid sequences of a protein produced by flowering plants, a cone-producing plant, and green algae.

What prediction about these sequences is supported by the data in the table?

(1 point)
Responses

The amino acid sequences for all three organisms will be identical.
The amino acid sequences for all three organisms will be identical.

The amino acid sequences for all three organisms will have no similarities.
The amino acid sequences for all three organisms will have no similarities.

The amino acid sequences for flowering plants and cone-producing plants will be the most similar.
The amino acid sequences for flowering plants and cone-producing plants will be the most similar.

The amino acid sequences for flowering plants and green algae will be the most similar.

Answer 1

The correct prediction supported by the data in the table is:

The amino acid sequences for flowering plants and cone-producing plants will be the most similar.

This is because flowering plants and cone-producing plants share a more recent common ancestor (250 million years ago) compared to flowering plants and green algae (500 million years ago). Generally, organisms that share a more recent common ancestor are expected to have more similar genetic and protein sequences due to less time for divergence.

Answer 2

Which statement best describes the relationship between protein, amino acids, and DNA?(1 point)
Responses

DNA codes for proteins. Proteins are made up of amino acids.
DNA codes for proteins. Proteins are made up of amino acids.

Amino acids code for protein. Protein is made up of DNA.
Amino acids code for protein. Protein is made up of DNA.

Amino acids code for DNA. DNA is made up of protein.
Amino acids code for DNA. DNA is made up of protein.

DNA codes for amino acids. Amino acids are made up of proteins.

Answer 3

The statement that best describes the relationship between protein, amino acids, and DNA is:

DNA codes for proteins. Proteins are made up of amino acids.

This accurately reflects the biological processes: DNA contains the genetic information that is transcribed into mRNA, which is then translated into proteins. Proteins are composed of chains of amino acids.

Answer 4

How does DNA analysis help scientists better understand evolution?(1 point)
Responses

It helps chart changes in amino acid sequences over time.
It helps chart changes in amino acid sequences over time.

It spells out the amino acids that make up an organism.
It spells out the amino acids that make up an organism.

It shows us an organism’s genome sequence.
It shows us an organism’s genome sequence.

It shows us what codons an organism has.
It shows us what codons an organism has.

Answer 5

The response that best explains how DNA analysis helps scientists better understand evolution is:

It shows us an organism’s genome sequence.

By analyzing the genome sequences of different organisms, scientists can identify similarities and differences in their DNA. This information can provide insights into evolutionary relationships, common ancestry, and the genetic basis of traits.

Answer 6

A scientist compares the amino acid sequences of four species to a similar protein produced by a human. The table shows the percentage of similarity in the amino acid sequence of each organism compared to the human sequence.

Organism Amino acid sequence similarity to human (%)
Species 1 85
Species 2 48
Species 3 39
Species 4 57
Which claim is supported by the evidence in the table?


(1 point)
Responses

Humans have the closest evolutionary relationship to Species 1.
Humans have the closest evolutionary relationship to Species 1.

Humans do not have any common ancestors with Species 2 or 3.
Humans do not have any common ancestors with Species 2 or 3.

Humans have the fewest common ancestors with Species 1 and 4.
Humans have the fewest common ancestors with Species 1 and 4.

Humans have the most distant evolutionary relationship to Species 4.

Answer 7

The claim supported by the evidence in the table is:

Humans have the closest evolutionary relationship to Species 1.

This is because Species 1 has the highest percentage of amino acid sequence similarity (85%) compared to the human sequence, indicating a closer evolutionary relationship. The higher the similarity in amino acid sequences, the more recently the species are likely to have shared a common ancestor.