Question

HELP!!! TIMED!!!!

Viruses are made up of the same biomolecules as cellular organisms (DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, etc.). They infect cells and replicate themselves using resources from the host cells. Scientists discovered a previously unknown strain of virus in the tropical Pacific Ocean and it can infect higher-order eukaryotes. Initial analysis revealed that the virus is mainly composed of nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids.

Chemical analysis after complete hydrolysis revealed the following building blocks (by weight):

Chemical components Nucleosides Amino acids Lipids, phosphates, and carbohydrates
Percentage by weight 20 30 50

Analysis of percentages of nucleosides yielded the following results (by molar ratio):

Nucleosides A G T C U
Percentage by mole 19 29 19 29 4

Based on the available information, what is the genetic material of this virus?

A) DNA
B) RNA
C) lipids
D) proteins

Answer 1

With the presence of both thymine and uracil, which represent DNA and RNA respectively, an atypical nucleic acid is suggested, but typically, DNA and RNA are not found together in a single genetic material, which means the genetic material of the virus cannot be conclusively identified without further data.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the chemical analysis after hydrolysis, which indicates the presence of nucleosides A (adenine), G (guanine), T (thymine), C (cytosine), and U (uracil) with given percentages by molar ratio, we can perform a preliminary identification of the genetic material of the virus. In living organisms, uracil is usually found in RNA and not in DNA, which contains thymine instead. However, the presence of both T and U in the same genetic material is not consistent with known biomolecules since DNA does not contain uracil, and RNA does not contain thymine. This could suggest an atypical nucleic acid or a potential error in data collection. Nevertheless, assuming that there are no errors, the simultaneous presence of both T and U, which normally denotes DNA and RNA respectively, is not possible under standard biological rules. Therefore, without further information, the genetic material cannot be definitively categorized as DNA or RNA.