Question

Type of genetic material found in bacteria is
A. RNA bound to protein
B. DNA bound to protein
C. DNA not bound to protein
D. RNA not bound to protein

Answer 1

Hint: Bacteria are microscopic organisms. They are one of the simplest forms of life; hence, they show both plant and animal characteristics. Their relationship is very obscure with other living organisms. The genetic material in bacteria is not associated with histones.

Complete answer: In bacteria, the genetic material is the DNA. Bacterial viruses either have DNA or RNA as their genetic material. The replication of the genetic material should be very precise so that the progeny inherits all the specific genotypes or the genetic determinants from the parental organism. In prokaryotes, the genetic information is carried on a single circular piece of DNA that is attached to the cell membrane and it is in direct contact with the cytoplasm. It is not bound to a protein as it is in eukaryotic cells. Specific genetic material expresses under specific growth conditions that determine the observable characteristics of an organism. Bacteria have few developmental or few structural capabilities that can be easily observed, but they have a vast array of biochemical capabilities and susceptibility characters to antimicrobial agents or bacteriophages. In the replication process of the bacterial genome, each strand of the double-helical DNA serves as the template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand. Each daughter cell has one parental strand of DNA and one newly synthesized strand. This type of DNA replication is called the semi-conservative mode of replication.
Hence, the correct answer is option C.

Note: Bacteria have no membrane-bound organelles. They have no true nucleus and simply a dense mass of DNA called the nucleoid. In eukaryotes, for the packaging of genetic material, a special protein called histones are involved, whereas in bacteria which is a prokaryote has a circular form of DNA.