RNAi Technology MCQ - Practice Questions & Answers

Solve by difficulty

The process of RNA interference has been used in devolopment of plants resistant to

nematodes

fungi

viruses

insects

Tobacco plants resistant to a nematode have been developed by the introduction of DNA that produced (in the host cells).

a particular hormone

an antifeedant

a toxic protein

both sense and anti-sense RNA

Concepts Covered - 0

Pest Resistant Transgenic Plant Using RNAi

Many nematodes live in plants and animals including human beings.
A nematode Meloidogyne incognita infects the roots of tobacco plants and causes a great reduction in yield.
A novel strategy was adopted to prevent this infestation which was based on the process of RNA interference (RNAi).
RNAi takes place in all eukaryotic organisms as a method of cellular defence.
This method involves silencing of a specific mRNA due to a complementary dsRNA molecule that binds to and prevents translation of the mRNA (silencing).
The source of this complementary RNA could be from infection by viruses having RNA genomes or mobile genetic elements (transposons) that replicate via an RNA intermediate.
Using Agrobacterium vectors, nematode-specific genes were introduced into the host plant.
The introduction of DNA was such that it produced both sense and antisense RNA in the host cells.
These two RNA’s being complementary to each other formed a double-stranded (dsRNA) that initiated RNAi and thus, silenced the specific mRNA of the nematode.
The consequence was that the parasite could not survive in a transgenic host expressing specific interfering RNA.
The transgenic plant, therefore, got itself protected from the parasite.