Question

Which of the following types of transposable elements rely on an RNA intermediate for transposition?

A. Insertion elements

B. Simple transposons

C. Retrotransposons

D. All of the above

Answer 1

Retrotransposons are the transposable elements that rely on an RNA intermediate for transposition, using a reverse transcriptase enzyme for the process.

Step-by-step explanation:

The types of transposable elements that rely on an RNA intermediate for transposition are known as retrotransposons. Retrotransposons replicate through a process whereby their RNA is reverse-transcribed into DNA, which is then integrated into the genome. This requires the activity of a reverse transcriptase enzyme. On the other hand, insertion elements and simple transposons typically do not use an RNA intermediate; they move through DNA-mediated mechanisms such as cut-and-paste or replicative transposition.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question "Which of the following types of transposable elements rely on an RNA intermediate for transposition?" is C. Retrotransposons.