What is the application of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Technology ?
Show answer
Answer: C. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) moves the nucleus of a body (somatic) cell into an egg whose own nucleus has been removed. The egg then develops into an embryo that is a genetic copy of the donor. This is the method used to clone Dolly the sheep in 1996, so it is applied in reproductive cloning of animals.
Watch for: Watch for option D sounding like a medical use; SCNT's best-known use is cloning, as with Dolly.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because biolarvicides come from microbes like Bacillus thuringiensis, not nuclear transfer.
- B. Wrong because biodegradable plastics are made from polymers like PLA or PHA by microbes or chemistry.
- D. Wrong because disease-free organisms are produced through tissue culture or breeding, not SCNT.
Source to check: NCERT Class 12 Biology, Chapter 11 'Biotechnology: Principles and Processes' and Chapter 12 'Biotechnology and its Applications'
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.