Final answer:
Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (D) directly or indirectly damages genetic material by causing the formation of thymine dimers in DNA, leading to mutations and interference with DNA replication and transcription.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sterilization Methods and Genetic Material
The method of sterilization that will directly or indirectly cause damage to genetic material (DNA or RNA) is D) Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. UV radiation damages the DNA molecules of living organisms through the formation of bonds between adjacent pyrimidine nucleotides, commonly resulting in thymine dimers. This kind of damage prevents the DNA from functioning correctly and can lead to mutations. On the contrary, methods like autoclaving and filtration do not target DNA directly, while ethylene oxide (ETO) sterilization is a chemical process affecting proteins and other cellular components.
Nonionizing radiation, like UV light causes thymine dimers between adjacent thymines within a strand of DNA, which interferes with DNA replication and transcription. Ionizing radiation, including gamma irradiation, creates hydroxyl radicals that can break DNA strands or modify the bases, but UV radiation is notable for its specific targeting of DNA, resulting in an inability of the DNA polymerase to incorporate the correct nucleotides during replication, leading to mutations. Thus, UV irradiation is the method mentioned that specifically targets and damages genetic material.