The Replicative Form of Nucleic Acid in Filamentous Phages Is

Question

The replicative form of nucleic acid in filamentous phages is
A) dsDNA.
B) dsRNA.
C) positive ssRNA.
D) negative ssDNA.
E) positive ssDNA.

Accepted Answer

Filamentous phages have a single-stranded, positive-sense DNA genome that is used as a template to produce a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA molecule during replication. This RNA molecule serves as the template for the synthesis of new single-stranded DNA genomes, which are packaged into progeny virions. Therefore, the replicative form of nucleic acid in filamentous phages is positive-sense single-stranded DNA (ssDNA).