UP High Court RO / ARO 10 Dec 2021 Shift 1

Chromosomes are made up of:

Verified Answer
A. DNA
B. RNA
C. Protein
D. DNA and Protein

Explanation:

Chromosomes are highly organized structures found in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, carrying genetic information in the form of DNA. \nA. DNA: While DNA is the fundamental genetic material that chromosomes carry, chromosomes are not composed *solely* of DNA. The DNA molecule is extremely long and must be tightly packaged to fit within the cell's nucleus. \nB. RNA: Ribonucleic acid (RNA) plays various crucial roles in gene expression, such as messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), but it is not a primary structural component of chromosomes in the same way DNA and proteins are. Although some non-coding RNAs are associated with chromatin, they are not the main building blocks. \nC. Protein: Proteins are indeed a major component of chromosomes. Specifically, histone proteins are essential for packaging DNA. DNA wraps around these histones to form nucleosomes, which are the basic units of chromatin structure. Non-histone proteins also contribute to chromosome structure and function. However, chromosomes are not *just* protein; they also contain the genetic material, DNA. \nD. DNA and Protein: This is the most accurate answer. Eukaryotic chromosomes are complex structures primarily composed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and various proteins. The DNA is tightly coiled and folded around a group of specialized proteins called histones, forming a complex known as chromatin. This chromatin then undergoes further condensation to form the visible chromosome structures during cell division. Therefore, both DNA and proteins are integral to the composition and structure of chromosomes.