'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.

1, 2 and 4

2 and 3

1 and 3

1 and 4 only

APEDIA

UPSC Prelims

2019 • 02 Jun, 2019 • Paper-1

'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.

Correct Answer

1, 2 and 4

RNAi Mechanism Analysis: RNA interference (RNAi) is a highly crucial biological regulatory process where specific microscopic RNA molecules actively inhibit gen......

💡 Analysis & Explanation

RNAi Mechanism Analysis ▼

RNA interference (RNAi) is a highly crucial biological regulatory process where specific microscopic RNA molecules actively inhibit gene expression or translation by precisely targeting and neutralizing specific mRNA molecules, effectively 'silencing' those targeted genes from producing unwanted proteins.

Applications ▼

Because it possesses the profound ability to turn off defective or harmful genes, it is being actively and aggressively researched for treating dominant genetic disorders and suppressing aggressive oncogenes in targeted cancer therapy. In the realm of agriculture, visionary scientists successfully exploit RNAi to create resilient transgenic crops highly capable of automatically silencing the vital genes of invading viral pathogens, conferring immense resistance. However, it absolutely cannot 'replace' or artificially synthesize missing hormones, rendering its conceptual use in standard hormone replacement therapy biologically invalid.

Conclusion ▼

Statements 1, 2, and 4 highlight extraordinarily valid, proven, and revolutionary applications of RNAi technology.

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