When Detecting Microorganisms, a Probe That Hybridizes to Sequences on Ribosomal

question 5

Multiple Choice

When detecting microorganisms, a probe that hybridizes to sequences on ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is generally used. This is because

• A) not all bacteria have DNA but they all have large quantities of ribosomal RNA.
• B) rRNA is in the cytoplasm so is easy to detect but DNA is in the nucleus so is harder to detect.
• C) cells that are dividing can have thousands of copies of rRNA, increasing the technique's sensitivity.
• D) RNA is a single-stranded molecule but DNA is a triple helix and must be denatured.
• E) These are all reasons that rRNA is targeted.

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