Question

Thomas Cech discovered RNA self-splicing in

• A. Caenorhabditis elegans
• B. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• C. Schizosaccharomyces pombe
• D. Tetrahymena thermophila

Hint:

RNA molecules that act as enzymes are called ribozymes; discovered by Thomas Cech and Sidney Altman.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Background.
Thomas Cech and his colleagues discovered that RNA can act as a catalyst, showing self-splicing ability. This led to the concept of ribozymes.
Step 2: Experimental Organism.
This phenomenon was observed in the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila, where an intron in the rRNA gene could remove itself without proteins.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Hence, RNA self-splicing was discovered in Tetrahymena thermophila.