Question

Do gene dosage and copy number in molecular biology mean the same thing?

A) Yes, both terms signify the number of copies a gene has in the genome, determined by different sequencing techniques.
B) No, while they refer to similar concepts, gene dosage is typically measured by RNA-Seq, while copy number is assessed through DNA sequencing.
C) They are identical and interchangeable terms used to quantify the number of gene copies in a cell's genome.
D) Gene dosage relates to mRNA transcripts, whereas copy number indicates the amount of genomic

Answer 1

Gene dosage pertains to the effect of gene expression on mRNA and protein quantity, measured by RNA-related methods, while copy number is the exact count of a gene's copies in the genome, determined by DNA sequencing.

Step-by-step explanation:

The terms gene dosage and copy number in molecular biology are closely related but are not exactly the same. Gene dosage refers to the activity level or impact of a particular gene's expression in terms of the resultant quantity of mRNA and protein in the cell. This can be influenced by how many copies of a gene are present and is typically measured by techniques analyzing RNA levels, like RNA-Seq. On the other hand, copy number specifically refers to the number of copies of a particular gene present in the genome, which is assessed through DNA sequencing methods such as comparative genomic hybridization or next-generation sequencing.