Nokea
A scientist identifies a strand of RNA that can be directly used to code for important viral proteins during viral replication. What have they found?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: (+RNA). This indicates that the scientist found a positive-sense RNA strand that can be directly translated by host cell machinery to produce viral proteins. Positive-sense RNA can act as messenger RNA, allowing immediate protein synthesis during viral replication. Choice A (RNA major) and D (RNA minor) are not standard terms used to describe RNA strands in virology. Choice B (-RNA) indicates a negative-sense RNA strand, which requires transcription to form a complementary positive-sense strand before protein synthesis. Thus, the identification of a strand of RNA that directly codes for viral proteins aligns with the characteristics of a positive-sense RNA strand.