Question

question 14 of 20 : select the best answer for the question. 14. rnai is a technique that silences genes by targeting them and degrading their mrna. how can this technique be used in scientific laboratories? a. rnai is observed in nature, but it can’t be used in laboratories. b. rnai has been used in laboratories to make bacteria more susceptible to antibiotics, but has limited application in eukaryotic cells. c. rnai is a powerful tool for degrading mrna, but because it doesn’t degrade other types of rna, its use is limited. d. rnai allows scientists to turn off one gene specifically to study its effect. mark for review (will be highlighted on the review page)

Explanation:

• Option A: RNAi can be used in laboratories (e.g., for gene function studies), so A is incorrect.
• Option B: RNAi is widely used in eukaryotic cells (like in mammalian cell research) and not just for bacteria - antibiotic susceptibility, so B is wrong.
• Option C: RNAi's specificity to mRNA is a strength (to target specific genes), and it's a powerful tool with broad applications, not limited due to not degrading other RNAs, so C is incorrect.
• Option D: RNAi targets specific mRNAs (from specific genes) to silence them, allowing scientists to turn off one gene and study the phenotypic or functional effects, which is a key use in labs.

Answer:

D. RNAi allows scientists to turn off one gene specifically to study its effect.