Why do researchers use rRNA in investigations of relationships between taxa that diverged hundreds of millions of years ago? See Concept 26.4 (Page 564) View Available Hint(s) Why do researchers use rRNA in investigations of relationships between taxa that diverged hundreds of millions of years ago? See Concept 26.4 (Page 564) rRNA is traditionally the nucleic acid chosen for recent comparisons. rRNA cannot mutate. rRNA is never the nucleic acid chosen for comparisons. rRNA changes at different rates in different taxa. DNA coding for rRNA changes relatively slowly

The ribosomal ribonuclei acid( rRNA ) is used for Ribosome synthesis. Ribosomes is the organelle for translation of encoded amino acids in protein synthesis in the cells. The gene that codes for rRNA is called rDNA.Thus must of the functionalities of rDNA are encoded rRNA. Therefore researchers use rRNA for comparison investigations because;

1.The coding region on the rDNA is highly conserved, with low rate of polymorphism, thus rDNA for rRNA transcriptions pathways is relatively slow compare to the one of high rate of polymorphism.

2. Consequently the conserved region( well preserved amino acid sequence) of the rDNA encoded in rRNA, with low polymorphism, and therefore slow transcription pathways enabled the use of rRNA for investigations of relationship between taxa. Since rRNA is present across all organisms,prokaryotes and eukaryotes the highly conserved coded region of low mutation and therefore slow changes, enable accurate comparison.