Passage 3:
Genome editing is different from genome modification. Genome editing typically involves finding the part of a plant genome that could be changed to render it less vulnerable to disease, or resistant to certain herbicides, or to increase yields. Researchers use 'molecular scissors' to dissect the genome and repair it, which is a process that occurs naturally when plants are under attack from diseases and can throw up new mutations that enable the plant to survive future attacks. This evolutionary process can effectively be speeded up now that it is possible to examine plant genomes in detail in laboratories, and create mechanisms through which the relevant genes can be altered very precisely.

With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
1. Genome editing does not require the transfer of genes from one plant to another.
2. Through genome editing, the chosen genes can be altered precisely in a manner akin to the natural process that helps plants to adapt to the environmental factors.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Question

Passage 3:
Genome editing is different from genome modification. Genome editing typically involves finding the part of a plant genome that could be changed to render it less vulnerable to disease, or resistant to certain herbicides, or to increase yields. Researchers use 'molecular scissors' to dissect the genome and repair it, which is a process that occurs naturally when plants are under attack from diseases and can throw up new mutations that enable the plant to survive future attacks. This evolutionary process can effectively be speeded up now that it is possible to examine plant genomes in detail in laboratories, and create mechanisms through which the relevant genes can be altered very precisely.

With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
1. Genome editing does not require the transfer of genes from one plant to another.
2. Through genome editing, the chosen genes can be altered precisely in a manner akin to the natural process that helps plants to adapt to the environmental factors.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: (c) Both 1 and 2 Let us evaluate the two assumptions against Passage 3: Assumption 1 states that 'Genome editing does not require the transfer of genes from one plant to another.' The passage contrasts genome editing with genome modification and notes that editing involves finding parts of a plant's own genome to render it less vulnerable, using molecular scissors to dissect and repair it, similar to natural processes. It does not mention transferring genes between plants (which is typical of transgenic/genetically modified crops). Thus, assumption 1 is valid. Assumption 2 states that 'Through genome editing, the chosen genes can be altered precisely in a manner akin to the natural process that helps plants to adapt to the environmental factors.' The passage explicitly supports this by stating that researchers create mechanisms to alter relevant genes very precisely, speeding up the evolutionary process that naturally occurs when plants are under attack. Thus, assumption 2 is also valid. Therefore, both 1 and 2 are valid. Option (c) is correct.

हिंदी में प्रश्न एवं आदर्श उत्तर