Question

Which of the following statements about mRNA half-life is false?

(a) The half-life of mRNAs produced from different genes will vary more than the half-life of mRNAs produced from the same gene.
(b) The half-life of most eukaryotic-cell mRNAs is >24 hours.
(c) The half-life of most bacterial mRNAs is shorter than the half-life of a typical eukaryotic mRNA.
(d) The 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of an mRNA often contain specific sequences that determine the lifetime of the mRNA molecule.

Answer 1

The false statement about mRNA half-life is option (c): The half-life of most bacterial mRNAs is shorter than the half-life of a typical eukaryotic mRNA.

Step-by-step explanation:

The false statement about mRNA half-life is option (c): The half-life of most bacterial mRNAs is shorter than the half-life of a typical eukaryotic mRNA.

Eukaryotic mRNAs have a much longer half-life than bacterial mRNAs. Eukaryotic mRNAs can last for several hours, whereas the typical E. coli mRNA lasts no more than five seconds. On the other hand, the half-life of most bacterial mRNAs is shorter than the half-life of a typical eukaryotic mRNA.

Thus, option (c) is the false statement.