Question

You have attached a synthetic polyT to a chromatography column. If you pass a mixture of cellular RNAs through the column, what type of RNA will be selectively retained by the column?

1) rRNAs
2) mRNAs
3) tRNAs
4) siRNAs
5) snoRNAs

Answer 1

mRNAs with a poly(A) tail will be selectively retained by a chromatography column with synthetic polyT, distinguishing them from other RNAs such as rRNAs, tRNAs, siRNAs, and snoRNAs.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a synthetic polyT is attached to a chromatography column, and a mixture of cellular RNAs is passed through it, the type of RNA that will be selectively retained by the column is mRNAs. This is because mRNA molecules generally have a 3' poly(A) tail that can form hydrogen bonds with the thymidine (T) on the column. Hence, they will be tethered to the column while other forms of RNA like rRNAs, tRNAs, siRNAs, and snoRNAs, which do not possess a poly(A) tail, will flow through the column and not be retained.