Question

UPSC Prelims 2016 Question:

In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term ‘transcriptome’, sometimes seen in the news, refers to

1. a range of enzymes used in genome editing
2. the full range of mRNA molecules expressed by an organism
3. the description of the mechanism of gene expression
4. a mechanism of genetic mutations taking place in cells

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 2: the full range of mRNA molecules expressed by an organism

Detailed Solution

Explanation:

The human genome is made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). For the instructions to be carried out, DNA must be "read" and transcribed - in other words, copied - into RNA (ribonucleic acid). These gene readouts are called transcripts, and a transcriptome is a collection of all the gene readouts present in a cell.

There are various kinds of RNA. The major type, called messenger RNA (mRNA), plays a vital role in making proteins. In this process: mRNA is transcribed from genes. A transcriptome is the full range of messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules expressed by an organism. The term "transcriptome" can also be used to describe the array of mRNA transcripts produced in a particular cell or tissue type.

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: Science & Technology | Biotechnology

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