A microarray is a tool used in genetic research to determine the mRNAs being produced in a particular tissue, and their relative level of expression. Known genes can therefore be assayed for their expression in different situations. One use of the technology is in cancer diagnosis and treatment. If a known gene functions as a tumor suppressor, predict which of the following pieces of evidence would be most useful in diagnosis of a cancer due to a mutation in this tumor-suppressor gene. A) The tissue sample shows a high level of gene expression relative to a control (noncancerous) sample. B) The tissue sample responds to treatment with a mitosis-promoting compound. C) The mRNAs for the targeted tumor suppressor sequence are not being produced. D) The mRNAs for cyclins and kinases show unusually high levels of expression.

Question

Biology

Linda Morton

13 March, 14:30

A microarray is a tool used in genetic research to determine the mRNAs being produced in a particular tissue, and their relative level of expression. Known genes can therefore be assayed for their expression in different situations. One use of the technology is in cancer diagnosis and treatment. If a known gene functions as a tumor suppressor, predict which of the following pieces of evidence would be most useful in diagnosis of a cancer due to a mutation in this tumor-suppressor gene. A) The tissue sample shows a high level of gene expression relative to a control (noncancerous) sample. B) The tissue sample responds to treatment with a mitosis-promoting compound. C) The mRNAs for the targeted tumor suppressor sequence are not being produced. D) The mRNAs for cyclins and kinases show unusually high levels of expression.

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Answers (1)

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Vanessa Petty · Answer 1

C) The mRNAs for the targeted tumor suppressor sequence are not being produced.

Explanation:

In normal cells, the product of tumor-suppressor genes, has repressive effect on the regulation of the cell cycle or even promote apoptosis and that is the way to protect the cell. If a mutation in this gene occurs, it looses its function, there is no tumor suppresor product and the cell cannot control its cycle (cell progress to cancer)