'RNA interference (RNAi)' technology has gained popularity in the last few years. Why?
- 1.It is used in developing gene silencing therapies.
- 2.It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer.
- 3.It can be used to develop hormone replacement therapies.
- 4.It can be used to produce crop plants that are resistant to viral pathogens.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
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Answer: A. Item 1 is correct: RNAi silences specific genes. Item 2 is correct: it is being developed to silence cancer-related genes. Item 4 is correct: it can make crops resistant to viruses by silencing viral genes. Item 3 is wrong: hormone replacement therapy supplies hormones, which RNAi (a silencing tool) does not do. So 1, 2 and 4.
Watch for: Students confuse gene silencing with gene therapy in general and accept hormone replacement.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Wrong because hormone replacement is not an RNAi use and items 1 and 4 are left out.
- C. Wrong because hormone replacement therapy is not an RNAi application.
- D. Wrong because cancer therapy (item 2) is also an RNAi use.
Source to check: NCERT Class 12 Biology, Chapter 12 'Biotechnology and its Applications' (RNA interference for pest-resistant plants)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.