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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements regarding the repair of thymine dimers is true?
A
Thymine dimers are repaired by DNA polymerase during replication.
B
Thymine dimers are repaired by excision of the entire DNA strand.
C
Thymine dimers are repaired by RNA polymerase during transcription.
D
Thymine dimers are repaired by photolyase through a process called photoreactivation.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand what thymine dimers are: Thymine dimers are a type of DNA damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light, where two adjacent thymine bases bond together, disrupting the DNA structure.
Learn about the repair mechanism: Thymine dimers are primarily repaired by a process called photoreactivation, which involves the enzyme photolyase.
Explore the role of photolyase: Photolyase is an enzyme that binds to the thymine dimer and uses energy from visible light to break the bonds between the thymine bases, restoring the DNA to its original state.
Differentiate from other repair processes: Unlike excision repair, which involves removing and replacing a section of DNA, photoreactivation directly reverses the damage without excising the DNA strand.
Clarify the involvement of DNA and RNA polymerases: DNA polymerase is involved in DNA replication, and RNA polymerase is involved in transcription, neither of which directly repair thymine dimers.