Question

scientists compile many pieces of evidence to infer evolutionary relationships. here is one such piece of evidence. the gene rna28s encodes some of the rna that forms a large part of the ribosome and works like an enzyme to help create peptide bonds. this table shows the number of nucleotides in rna28s that are identical between three different species: milkweeds, puffballs, and candlesnuff fungi. the number of identical nucleotides in rna28s between pairs of species milkweeds and puffballs 562 candlesnuff fungi and milkweeds 584 puffballs and candlesnuff fungi 708 how does this evidence support the claim that puffballs are more closely related to candlesnuff fungi than to milkweeds? complete the paragraph. puffballs and milkweeds have dropdown similarities in their rna28s nucleotide sequences than puffballs and candlesnuff fungi have. this suggests that puffballs and dropdown have less similar dna and evolved from a more dropdown common ancestor.

Explanation:

1. First, analyze the number of identical nucleotides: Puffballs and milkweeds have 562 identical nucleotides in RNA28S, while puffballs and candlesnuff fungi have 708. Since 562 < 708, puffballs and milkweeds have fewer similarities.
2. Fewer nucleotide similarities imply less similar DNA (as genes are made of DNA, and RNA28S is encoded by a gene).
3. Less similar DNA suggests a more distant common ancestor (because closer evolutionary relationships have more shared genetic material, meaning they diverged from a common ancestor more recently, while more distant relationships have less shared material and diverged earlier). So the first blank is "fewer", the second is "milkweeds", and the third is "distant".

Answer:

First blank: fewer; Second blank: milkweeds; Third blank: distant