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The Pieces
The theory that Thermatoga is one of the closest living descendants of the first life on Earth is also supported by the fact that every other species studied so far, including human beings, has some of the exact same DNA found inside Thermatoga. Sections of microbial DNA have survived the evolutionary changes that resulted in human DNA.
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Origins
Dr.
Nelson's methods include using advanced chemical techniques and computer-aided
analysis to quickly identify the four primary building blocks of DNA,
labeled with the letters A, G, C, and T. Every strand of DNA is composed
of thousands to millions of these proteins, arranged in a specific order
that determines the genetic makeup of each life form. 
After
sequencing Thermatoga's genome, Nelson and her team began a close
analysis, and they were amazed by what they found. Even though Thermatoga
has been classified among the bacteria, it also shares many genes with
another branch of life, the archae. This was convincing evidence that
Thermatoga was very close to the beginning of life on Earth, close
to the base of the tree, before the bacteria and archae branches split
apart.