Question

Which of the following techniques is used to measure the relative expression of many transcripts simultaneously?

A Microarray
B Northern blot
C Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
D cDNA cloning
E Comparative genome hybridization

Answer 1

The technique used to simultaneously measure the relative expression of many transcripts is Microarray. It utilizes nucleic acid hybridization and is essential for comparing gene-expression patterns between distinct cell types or under various conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The technique used to measure the relative expression of many transcripts simultaneously is Microarray. Microarray analysis employs nucleic acid hybridization to assess thousands of genes at once to identify differences in gene expression between various samples. It is particularly useful for comparing gene-expression patterns between different cell types, like cells infected with a virus versus uninfected cells or cancerous cells versus healthy cells. Comparative genome hybridization is a different technique that compares genomic DNA. However, in the context of monitoring mRNA expression levels, microarray technology is the relevant method to simultaneously measure relative expression levels of several transcripts.