NEETZoologyBiotechnology and Its Applications
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular defense mechanism that prevents the transcription of specific genes in all eukaryotic organisms. Reason (R): Mobile genetic elements (transposons) can replicate via an RNA intermediate, acting as a natural source of complementary RNA to form double-stranded RNA
Options
- ABoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
- BBoth (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
- C(A) is true but (R) is false
- D(A) is false but (R) is true
Correct answer
D. (A) is false but (R) is true
Step-by-step solution
Assertion (A) is false. While RNA interference (RNAi) does take place in all eukaryotic organisms as a method of cellular defense, it does not prevent transcription. Instead, it involves the silencing of a specific mRNA by preventing its translation (post-transcriptional silencing). Reason (R) is true. According to NCERT, the source of the complementary RNA required to initiate RNAi can be an infection by viruses having RNA genomes or mobile genetic elements (transposons) that replicate via an RNA intermediate. The