Final answer:
To search for a specific protein-coding gene in a sorted list, a Binary Search algorithm is the best option because it reduces the search interval by half with each step, providing an efficient way to locate the gene.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find a particular protein-coding gene out of an estimated 20,000-25,000 human protein-coding genes using an algorithm, the best approach would be a. Binary Search, assuming the genes are sorted. Binary Search is efficient as it repeatedly divides the search interval in half. If the array is sorted, this method starts with the middle element and checks to determine if the target value is before or after it, which significantly reduces the search space. In contrast, Linear Search would check each element one by one, and Ternary Search divides the search space into thirds, which is less commonly used; neither are as efficient as binary search. Quick Search is not a standard searching algorithm; instead, the name may refer to Quick Sort, which is a sorting algorithm and not used for searching.