Final answer:
Conserved DNA regions between distantly related species provide evidence of conserved functional elements and are significant due to their roles in survival and development. Regulatory DNA binds transcription factors, which regulate gene expression. Conserved genes and sequences also serve as evidence of evolutionary relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
In general, DNA regions that are conserved between distantly related species provide evidence of conserved functional elements, such as genes or regulatory sequences. These conserved elements are significant because they have been maintained throughout evolution due to their crucial roles in the organisms' survival and development. Therefore, they are likely important to the basic biological functions that are shared among diverse species.
Regulatory DNA that is conserved between distantly related species may function as regions that bind transcription factors. These transcription factors are proteins that can influence the expression of genes by binding to specific DNA sequences. Such bindings can either activate or repress the transcription of genes, playing a key role in regulating gene expression. These regulatory DNA sequences include enhancers that increase gene transcription and silencers that suppress it.
Lastly, the similarity in DNA sequences among different organisms, particularly in regions conserved across species, serves as evidence of evolutionary relationships. Scientists can use these similarities to trace back the lineage and evolutionary history of various species. Well-conserved genes and their regulatory sequences act as a molecular record of the shared ancestry between different organisms.