Consider the following statements : DNA Barcoding can be a tool to :

Consider the following statements :
DNA Barcoding can be a tool to :

  • assess the age of a plant or animal
  • distinguish among species that look alike.
  • identify undesirable animal or plant materials in processed foods.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only
3 only
1 and 2
2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2022
The correct answer is D) 2 and 3.
Statement 1 is incorrect. DNA barcoding is a method for identifying species using a short, standardized sequence of DNA. It provides a “barcode” that is unique to a species, but it does not provide information about the age of an individual plant or animal.
Statement 2 is correct. DNA barcoding is highly effective at distinguishing among species, even those that are morphologically similar or difficult to identify using traditional methods. The barcode sequence provides a clear genetic signature for differentiation.
Statement 3 is correct. DNA barcoding can be used to identify the species composition of biological materials in processed foods, allowing detection of adulteration, mislabeling, or the presence of undesirable or allergenic plant or animal materials.
The standard barcode region used for animals is a segment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). For plants, different regions are used, such as rbcL and matK in chloroplast DNA. DNA barcoding has applications in biodiversity studies, food safety, forensic science, and wildlife trafficking detection.
Exit mobile version