Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a common use for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique?
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18. Biotechnology
Introduction to Polymerase Chain Reaction
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What is the source of the reverse transcriptase used in recombinant DNA technology?
A
Plant cells
B
Cultured fungal cells
C
Cultured phage-infected mammalian cells
D
Either retroviruses or cultured phage-infected mammalian cells
E
Retroviruses
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the role of reverse transcriptase: Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme that synthesizes DNA from an RNA template, a process called reverse transcription.
Identify the natural source of reverse transcriptase: Reverse transcriptase is naturally found in retroviruses, which are a type of virus that uses RNA as its genetic material.
Consider the options provided: The options include plant cells, cultured fungal cells, cultured phage-infected mammalian cells, and either retroviruses or cultured phage-infected mammalian cells.
Eliminate incorrect options: Plant cells and cultured fungal cells do not naturally produce reverse transcriptase. Cultured phage-infected mammalian cells may contain reverse transcriptase if they are infected by a retrovirus, but they are not the primary source.
Conclude with the correct source: Retroviruses are the primary natural source of reverse transcriptase, as they require this enzyme to replicate their RNA genome into DNA within a host cell.
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