The Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) of all living things is thought to have lived between 3.5 and 3.8 billion years ago. This is the last organism with which the organisms of today share a common descent. Despite their differences, all living things share the same basic characteristics of life.
Examine the phylogenetic tree below, then choose the response that explains why, in terms of the characteristics of life, both bacterial kingdoms are separated on the tree from animals, plants, protists, and fungi.
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a
All living things grow and develop. Bacteria are small but do get bigger when they are ready to undergo mitosis. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all grow due to the process of meiosis, the process that makes new body cells.
b
All living things must reproduce. People can compare the two bacterial kingdoms based on their mode of reproduction, which is binary fission. The animals, plants, protists, and fungi all reproduce sexually, a characteristic that allows people to compare those kingdoms.
c
All living things must use energy. The method that bacteria use to obtain energy is different than the other kingdoms. Both bacterial kingdoms are capable of making their own energy from chemicals in their environment. Animals, protists, and fungi have to find their own food, whereas plants use photosynthesis to make glucose.
d
All living things contain at least one cell. Animals, plants, protists, and fungi all contain eukaryotic cells. Both bacterial kingdoms contain organisms with prokaryotic cells.