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You Discover a Virus with a Number of Unusual Properties

question 36

Multiple Choice

You discover a virus with a number of unusual properties, and decide to assign it the name virus U238. The genome of U238 consists of double-stranded DNA. To study the mode of DNA replication in U238, you carry out a Meselson-Stahl type of experiment, and first observe that viral DNA containing only normal "light" nitrogen (¹⁴N) has a density of 1.715 gm/cm³. You then allow the virus to replicate in the presence of nucleotides containing "heavy" nitrogen (¹⁵N) until both strands of its genome are "heavy." At this point the density of the viral DNA is 1.722 gm/cm³. You allow the virus with "heavy" DNA to undergo one round of replication in the presence of only "light" nucleotides, and you observe that half of the viral progeny have DNA with a density of 1.722 gm/cm³ and the other half of the viral progeny have DNA with a density of 1.715 gm/cm³. How would you interpret these results?

Definitions:

Goodwill

An intangible asset that arises when a business is acquired for more than the fair value of its net assets, reflecting the value of the business's brand, customer relationships, and other unquantifiable assets.

Equity Method

An accounting technique used to record investments in which the investor has significant influence over the investee, typically involving adjusting the value of the investment over time to reflect shared profits or losses.

Equity Method

An accounting technique used to record investments in other companies, wherein the investment is initially recorded at cost and subsequently adjusted to reflect the investor's share of the investee’s net assets and income.

Intra-Entity Inventory Sales

Transactions involving the sale of inventory items between divisions or departments within the same company.