A scientist studying the sequence of nucleotides in the rRNA of a bacterial species is working on which of the following?

• A. Molecular phylogenetics
• B. Gram staining techniques
• C. Antibiotic resistance testing
• D. Bacterial fermentation pathways

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key terms in the problem. The scientist is studying the sequence of nucleotides in the rRNA of a bacterial species. rRNA stands for ribosomal RNA, which is a component of the ribosome involved in protein synthesis.
2. Step 2: Recognize that analyzing nucleotide sequences in rRNA is commonly used to determine evolutionary relationships among organisms. This approach compares genetic material to infer how species are related.
3. Step 3: Identify that 'Molecular phylogenetics' is the field that uses molecular data, such as rRNA sequences, to study evolutionary relationships and construct phylogenetic trees.
4. Step 4: Differentiate this from other options: Gram staining is a technique to classify bacteria based on cell wall properties, antibiotic resistance testing assesses bacterial susceptibility to drugs, and bacterial fermentation pathways study metabolic processes.
5. Step 5: Conclude that since the scientist is analyzing rRNA sequences to understand relationships, the correct field of study is Molecular phylogenetics.