Given below are two statements:
Statement I: RNA mutates at a faster rate.
Statement II: Viruses having RNA genome and shorter life span mutate and evolve faster.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
- A
Both Statement I and Statement II are true.
- B
Both Statement I and Statement II are false.
- C
Statement I is true but Statement II is false.
- D
Statement I is false but Statement II is true.
RNA is single-stranded and chemically less stable than DNA, and RNA polymerases lack proof-reading activity — both make RNA more mutable. Consequently RNA viruses with rapid replication cycles (e.g. influenza, HIV) accumulate mutations and evolve much faster than DNA-based organisms.
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