Evidence of Evolution

AP Biology· difficulty 2/5

Species pair % Cyt-c amino acid difference Human-Chimp 0% Human-Horse 12% Human-Yeast 38%

Which conclusion is best supported by these cytochrome c data?

  • A

    Cytochrome c evolves faster in mammals than fungi

  • B

    Cytochrome c is not informative about phylogeny

  • C

    More closely related species have more similar cytochrome c sequences

    check_circle
  • D

    All species have identical cytochrome c

Explanation

The percent difference in cytochrome c increases with phylogenetic distance, supporting molecular sequence similarity as evidence of common ancestry and a tool for inferring relatedness.

Want 10 more like this — adaptive to your weak spots?

Related questions