Question

In molecular marker technologies, the acronym RFLP stands for:

• A. Random Fragment Locus Polymorphism
• B. Random Fragment Length Polymorphism
• C. Restriction Fragment Locus Polymorphism
• D. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism

Hint:

Remember the classifications of molecular markers:
- Hybridization-based, codominant: RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism)
- PCR-based, dominant: RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA)
- PCR-based, codominant: SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats), SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism)

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Molecular markers are tools used in genetics and plant breeding to identify specific regions of DNA.
They can be categorized into hybridization-based markers and PCR-based markers.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
RFLP is a classic hybridization-based molecular marker technique.
- The acronym stands for Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism.
- It relies on digesting genomic DNA with specific restriction endonucleases, which cut DNA at specific recognition sequences.
- Mutations (such as single nucleotide polymorphisms or insertions/deletions) within these restriction sites alter the length of the resulting fragments.
- These fragments are separated by gel electrophoresis and detected using southern hybridization with labeled DNA probes.
- RFLP is a codominant, highly reproducible marker system, though it requires a relatively large amount of high-quality DNA.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The acronym RFLP stands for Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism.
Therefore, the correct option is (D).