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Question
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:
Options
Both Statement I and Statement II are false.
Statement I is true but Statement II is false.
Statement I false but Statement II is true.
Both Statement I and Statement II are true.
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Solution
Both Statement I and Statement II are true.
Explanation:
RNA typically has a higher mutation rate than DNA because it is chemically less stable and its replication process lacks effective proofreading mechanisms. Because of this, RNA viruses evolve with extreme speed. Their high mutation rates, combined with short lifespans, allow them to accumulate genetic changes rapidly. This lack of error-correction leads to the frequent emergence of new viral variants, helping the virus adapt to new environments or hosts in a very short amount of time
