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Question #45120

Difficulty: 8/10 | 🟢 Free

The Question

Baculoviruses (genus Nucleopolyhedrovirus) are utilized as narrow-spectrum insecticidal agents because they have no negative impacts on non-target organisms, including mammals. If a researcher uses the biolistic method (gene gun) to directly deliver a recombinant baculovirus DNA vector into the nucleus of a mammalian cell, which of the following best explains why the vector still fails to establish a systemic infection?

Options

  • A.

    The mammalian cell lacks the specific cell-surface receptors required for the baculovirus to enter and initiate the infection cycle.

  • B.

    The mammalian intracellular machinery lacks the compatible transcription factors required to recognize and activate the viral promoters.

  • C.

    The viral DNA is immediately degraded by mammalian restriction endonucleases present in the cytoplasm.

  • D.

    The biolistic delivery method triggers an immediate hypersensitive response, leading to mammalian cell apoptosis.

Check Your Answer

Correct Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Explanation

How the Examiner Thinks

Regulatory_Failure

Understand how NOT, EXCEPT, and logical constraints are used to manipulate exam results.

Concepts Behind This Question

Biolistics/Gene Gun Physics|Baculovirus Host Specificity

Why This Question Is Tricky

Common Mistakes

Conceptual Pivot: Students often memorize that 'viruses are host-specific due to cell-surface receptors' (NCERT Human Health/Microbes).

The trap is failing to realize that if this physical barrier is bypassed via biotechnology (biolistics/microinjection), the secondary, definitive biological checkpoint is the compatibility of the host's intracellular machinery (transcription factors, promoters) with the viral genome.

Option A is the primary trap designed to catch students who do not apply the 'If/Then' logic of the biolistic bypass.

Quick Facts About This Question

Question Information

SubjectBiology
ChapterBiotechnology : Principles and Processes - Class 12
ConceptBiolistics/Gene Gun Physics
Difficulty8
Cognitive Load5
Target Solve Time120 sec
AccessFree