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Q31 (IAS/2016) Science & Technology › Biotechnology & Health › Genomics and DNA technologies Official Key

In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term 'transcriptome', sometimes seen in the news, refers to

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is option B because the transcriptome refers to the full range of mRNA molecules expressed by an organism. The term "transcriptome" is derived from "transcript" (referring to RNA transcripts) and represents the complete set of RNA molecules, particularly messenger RNA (mRNA), that are produced by the genome under specific circumstances or in a specific cell. This is distinct from the genome (the complete DNA sequence) as the transcriptome reflects which genes are actually being expressed at any given time.

Option A is incorrect because genome editing uses enzymes like CRISPR-Cas9, not the transcriptome itself. Option C is incorrect because while the transcriptome is related to gene expression, it is not a description of the mechanism but rather the actual collection of expressed RNA molecules. Option D is incorrect because the transcriptome does not refer to genetic mutations; it represents normal gene expression patterns in cells and can vary based on cell type, developmental stage, or environmental conditions.

Sources
  1. [1] https://monographs.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/KCW-FINAL.pdf
  2. [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2001037020302993
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term 'transcriptome', sometimes seen in the news, refers to [A] a range of enz…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10

This question is a classic 'Term in News' that rewards etymological common sense over deep technical knowledge. If you know 'Transcription' (DNA → RNA) from basic NCERT Biology, the suffix '-ome' (meaning 'complete set') makes the answer obvious. It is fair because it relies on the fundamental 'Central Dogma' of biology.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
In the context of developments in bioinformatics, what does the term "transcriptome" refer to?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 4/5
"has been adapted to transcriptomics data. Transcriptional BMDLs, derived from short-term animal bioassays, can be linked to biological processes, including pathways and gene ontologies"
Why this source?
  • Explicitly uses the term "transcriptomics data" and "Transcriptional BMDLs", tying the concept to transcriptional measurements.
  • Connects these transcriptional data to biological processes, pathways and gene ontologies, indicating the transcriptome represents gene-expression (RNA) information.
Web source
Presence: 3/5
"deciphering the epitranscriptomes, including epitranscriptome data analysis techniques, RNA"
Why this source?
  • Refers to "epitranscriptomes" and bioinformatics approaches to decipher them, directly associating the term with RNA-related data.
  • Places transcriptome-related analysis within bioinformatics techniques for RNA and its modifications, supporting that transcriptome pertains to RNA transcripts.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > r6.r7.t. Programs pf iBOL > p. 248
Strength: 4/5
“BARCODE 500K, compiled. in ,o,5,:i"n, the foundation that established the sequencing facilities,-analytical protocols, informatics platforms, and international collaboration needed to build the DI.JA barcode reference libraries. Building on this success, BIOSCAN launched in -|une zorg with an intent to complete by zaz6 to scan life and codify species interactions whiie expanding the reference library and demonstrating its utility AI Rights Reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without permission in writing.”
Why relevant

Mentions sequencing facilities, analytical protocols and informatics platforms used to build reference libraries — indicating large-scale sequencing and informatics efforts in biology.

How to extend

A student could combine this with the basic fact that sequencing can read RNA-derived data to infer that a 'transcriptome' might be a dataset produced and analysed by such sequencing/informatics pipelines.

Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: Heredity > 8.2.3 How do these Traits get Expressed? > p. 131
Strength: 5/5
“How does the mechanism of heredity work? Cellular DNA is the information source for making proteins in the cell. A section of DNA that provides information for one protein is called the gene for that protein. How do proteins control the characteristics that we are discussing here? Let us take the example of tallness as a characteristic. We know that plants have hormones that can trigger growth. Plant height can thus depend on the amount of a particular plant hormone. The amount of the plant hormone made will depend on the efficiency of the process for making it. Consider now an enzyme that is important for this process.”
Why relevant

Explains that cellular DNA provides information for making proteins and that genes code for proteins — establishes the flow from genetic information to functional molecules.

How to extend

Using the basic knowledge that genes are transcribed into RNA before translation, a student could infer the transcriptome relates to those RNA products derived from genes.

Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 13: Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet > 13.5 What Keeps Life from Disappearing? > p. 220
Strength: 4/5
“called genetic material or genes, are stored inside every cell of a living being. You can think of genes as a detailed instruction manual inside each cell. Some instructions tell the cell how to make blood, while others guide the formation of bones, muscles, or skin. Together, these instructions ensure that a calf grows into a cow, or a kitten grows into a cat. But reproduction does more than just create more of the same kind of living beings. It also allows for small changes in the instructions that are passed down from parents to offpsrings. Sometimes, these changes help a plant or animal survive better in a new environment.”
Why relevant

Describes genes as instruction manuals stored in cells and mentions changes in hereditary instructions — emphasises the concept of gene-based information within cells.

How to extend

A student could extend this by noting that the active expression of those instructions involves RNA molecules, suggesting the transcriptome catalogs expressed genetic instructions (RNA) in cells.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) CROPS > p. 301
Strength: 3/5
“• According to WHO, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are the plants, animals or microorganisms in which the hereditary material (DNA) is altered in a manner that does not happen normally by mating or potentially regular recombination. It is also known as modern biotechnology/gene technology.• When genetic modification of a plant is performed, foreign gene (transgene) or gene of some other organism is artificially inserted into the plant's own genes. This is gene modification.”
Why relevant

Defines genetic modification as deliberate alteration of hereditary material (DNA) and mentions insertion of genes — highlights the centrality of genes/DNA in molecular biology.

How to extend

Coupling this with standard knowledge that altered genes produce altered RNA outputs, a student might deduce that studying the transcriptome would reveal expression changes from such modifications.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 29: Environment Issues and Health Effects > 29.3.4. Greeenwashing > p. 422
Strength: 3/5
“In animals, this is the freezing of sperm and eggs in zoological freezers until further need. • Biobank is a cryogenic storage facility used to archive biological samples for use in research and experiments. • Xero*ere is a plant succession which is limited by water availability. It includes the different stages in a research succession. All Rights Reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing.”
Why relevant

Mentions biobanks that archive biological samples for research — points to availability of material (RNA/DNA) used in large-scale molecular studies.

How to extend

A student could reason that transcriptome studies require biological samples (for extracting RNA) stored in such biobanks and then analysed via sequencing/informatics.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC frequently tests the 'vocabulary of emerging science'. They don't ask how to sequence a transcriptome; they ask what it *is*. Focus on definitions that bridge static biology (Transcription) with current affairs (Genomic studies).
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Solvable via root-word analysis and Class XII NCERT Biology (Chapter: Molecular Basis of Inheritance).
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: The 'Central Dogma' of Molecular Biology: DNA (Replication) → mRNA (Transcription) → Protein (Translation).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'Omics' family: Genome (Total DNA), Proteome (Total Proteins), Metabolome (Chemical processes), Microbiome (Community of microbes), Epigenome (Chemical tags on DNA), Connectome (Neural map).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When Science & Tech news mentions a complex term ending in '-ome', it invariably refers to a 'library' or 'total set' of the root concept. Do not memorize the mechanism; memorize the definition of the set.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 DNA as the information source for proteins (gene → protein)
💡 The insight

Several references state that cellular DNA provides information to make proteins and that genes encode proteins; this is the conceptual foundation for understanding transcriptomes (which are RNA copies of genes used to make proteins).

High-yield for UPSC biology and biotechnology questions: explains how genetic information is expressed, links to topics like gene expression, regulation, phenotypes and GMO technology. Frequently appears in questions about heredity, biotechnology and molecular basis of traits. Prepare by mastering the flow from DNA to RNA to protein in simple steps and using NCERT passages (focus on examples given) to answer conceptual and application questions.

📚 Reading List :
  • Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: Heredity > 8.2.3 How do these Traits get Expressed? > p. 131
  • Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 13: Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet > 13.5 What Keeps Life from Disappearing? > p. 220
🔗 Anchor: "In the context of developments in bioinformatics, what does the term "transcript..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Sequencing initiatives and informatics platforms
💡 The insight

Evidence mentions sequencing facilities, analytical protocols and informatics platforms used to build reference libraries—these are the tools and context in which transcriptome data are generated and analysed in bioinformatics.

Important for questions on contemporary bioinformatics projects and genomic/omics technologies (e.g., barcoding, reference libraries, large-scale sequencing). Links science policy, infrastructure and technology. Useful for essay and mains answers on biotechnology initiatives and for prelims facts about national/international sequencing efforts. Study by mapping projects to their objectives and infrastructure needs.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 16: Conservation Efforts > r6.r7.t. Programs pf iBOL > p. 248
🔗 Anchor: "In the context of developments in bioinformatics, what does the term "transcript..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Role of biobanks and archived biological samples
💡 The insight

Biobanks and cryogenic storage of biological samples are referenced; such sample repositories are essential sources for transcriptome studies and other omics analyses in bioinformatics.

Relevant for policy and institutional questions (sample governance, research infrastructure, ethics). Helps answer questions on how large-scale molecular studies are enabled logistically and ethically. Revise definitions, functions, and policy implications of biobanks and sample sharing frameworks.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 29: Environment Issues and Health Effects > 29.3.4. Greeenwashing > p. 422
🔗 Anchor: "In the context of developments in bioinformatics, what does the term "transcript..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

Epigenome. Since they asked about the Transcriptome (the message), the next logical question is the 'Epigenome'—the chemical markers (like methylation) that tell the genome when to speak. Also, 'Metagenomics' (sequencing genetic material directly from environmental samples without culturing).

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

The Etymology Hack. Break the word: 'Transcript' + 'ome'. In biology, a 'transcript' is strictly the RNA copy made from DNA. Option B is the only one mentioning 'mRNA'. Option A (Enzymes) would typically end in '-ase' (like Polymerase). Option D implies a process (Mutagenesis), not a noun representing a set.

🔗 Mains Connection

Precision Medicine & Agriculture. Transcriptomics is the key to understanding 'Gene Expression'. In Mains, link this to developing drought-resistant crops (seeing which genes turn 'on' during heat stress) or personalized cancer therapy (targeting specific over-expressed mRNAs).

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