Question

a scientist is attempting to provide support for the hypothesis that rna was the first genetic material. which of the following would be a workable alternate hypothesis? a rna, like dna, is a carrier of genetic information and contains the nitrogen bases adenine, guanine, and cytosine. b rna can be observed to self - replicate without the assistance of proteins, while dna always requires protein - based enzymes to replicate. c rna exists in both single - stranded and double - stranded configurations; however, it is less stable compared with dna. d transfer rna and ribosomal rna are products of transcription, but they are not translated as is mrna.

Explanation:

An alternate hypothesis should provide evidence that supports the idea that RNA was the first genetic material. Option B shows that RNA can self - replicate without proteins, which gives it an advantage as a candidate for the first genetic material since it implies a simpler replication mechanism compared to DNA which always requires protein - based enzymes. Options A, C, and D do not directly support the idea that RNA was the first genetic material.

Answer:

B. RNA can be observed to self - replicate without the assistance of proteins, while DNA always requires protein - based enzymes to replicate.