Microsatellite DNA' is used in the case of which one of the following?
A
Studying the evolutionary relationships among various species of fauna
B
Stimulating 'stem cells' to transform into diverse functional tissues
C
Promoting clonal propagation of horticultural plants
D
Assessing the efficacy of drugs by conducting series of drug trials in a population
Correct Answer: Option A
Explanation
1. 'Microsatellite DNA', also known as Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) or Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs), consists of short sequences of DNA (typically 1-6 base pairs) that are repeated multiple times in tandem.
2. These regions are highly polymorphic, meaning the number of repeats varies greatly between individuals and populations.
3. This high variability makes microsatellites powerful genetic markers for various applications, including DNA fingerprinting, parentage analysis, population genetics, and studying the genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among different species or populations of fauna (and flora).
4. Option (A) directly reflects this key application.
5. Options (B), (C), and (D) describe different biological or medical processes (stem cell differentiation, clonal propagation, drug trials) where the analysis of microsatellite DNA is not the primary technique employed.