Final answer:
Correct option: E. vertebrates with 4 nucleotides that differed from the human DNA
The vertebrate most closely related to humans is the one with only 4 nucleotides differing from the human DNA sequence, as it indicates the least genetic variation and a closer common ancestor.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which vertebrate is most closely related to humans, we look at the number of nucleotide differences in a 200-nucleotide sequence of DNA. The fewer the differences, the more closely related the species are, because this suggests a more recent common ancestor. Genetic similarities and sequence analysis are crucial for understanding evolutionary relationships.
Among the options provided, the species with 4 nucleotides that differed from the human DNA sequence is the most closely related to humans. This is because it has the smallest number of differences, which indicates a closer common ancestor and a higher genetic similarity.
This is in line with the gene sequencing studies and comparative sequence analysis, which demonstrate that species with more genetic similarities and less sequence differences are more closely related evolutionarily. For example, humans and chimpanzees share a very high percentage of their genome, indicating a very close relationship.