Question

One way to classify organisms is by analyzing their genetic information to determine where they belong within a phylogenetic tree or cladogram. Which of the following best describes a complication of classifying bacteria based on genetic information?

A.) The DNA in one species of bacteria can be exchanged with an unlike species of bacteria.. .
B.) The DNA mutation rate of bacteria cannot be tracked, unlike other organisms.. .
C.) The DNA of bacteria cannot be distinguished from the DNA of organisms they may use as a host.. .
D.) The DNA of bacteria is not made of the same nucleic acids as o

Answer 1

"The DNA in one species of bacteria can be exchanged with an unlike species of bacteria" is the one among the following that best describes a complication of classifying bacteria based on genetic information. The correct option among all the options that are given in the question is the first option or option "A".

Answer 2

The correct answer is option A) The DNA in one species of bacteria can be exchanged with an unlike species of bacteria.

Phylogenetic trees are very helpful in tracing lineages and categorizing the animals on the basis of their genetic makeup so that evolutionary relationships between organisms may be established. The DNA of one species of bacteria can be exchanged with an unlike species of bacteria by a process known as horizontal gene transfer. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is also known as lateral gene transfer. In HGT, the transfer of DNA does not occur through lateral gene transfer like in case of transfer of DNA from parents to progenies. We consider parents as the most closely related to the progenies because their DNA is more or less same as that of progenies. But in HGT, a bacteria can transfer its genes to a totally unrelated strain of bacteria  via conjugation, transformation or transduction. Since the DNA is being incorporated to an unrelated strain, in a phylogenetic tree the unrelated strain will show up as a related strain to the bacteria from which is has received the DNA through HGT even though it is unrelated. This is how it will create hurdle in tracing lineages and classifying bacteria.