A bacteriophage `phixx 174 ` has

Options

A. 3826 bp
B. 5386 bp
C. 5385 nucleotides
D. 3826 nucleotides

Answer

To solve the question regarding the bacteriophage `phiX174`, we need to determine the number of base pairs or nucleotides it contains. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

### Step 1: Understand the Organism
- Recognize that `phiX174` is a bacteriophage, which is a type of virus that specifically infects bacteria, particularly E. coli in this case.

**Hint:** Remember that bacteriophages are viruses that target bacterial cells.

### Step 2: Identify the Genetic Material
- Note that `phiX174` has single-stranded DNA as its genetic material. This is important because it distinguishes it from other types of viruses that may have double-stranded DNA or RNA.

**Hint:** Single-stranded DNA viruses have different characteristics compared to double-stranded DNA viruses.

### Step 3: Recall the Family Classification
- `phiX174` belongs to the family Microviridae. This classification can help in understanding its characteristics and genetic structure.

**Hint:** Knowing the family of the virus can provide insights into its genome size and structure.

### Step 4: Historical Significance
- Recognize that `phiX174` was the first DNA genome to be sequenced. This historical fact emphasizes its importance in molecular biology.

**Hint:** Historical milestones in genetics can often provide context for the significance of certain organisms.

### Step 5: Determine the Number of Base Pairs
- The question provides options regarding the number of base pairs or nucleotides. The correct number of base pairs for `phiX174` is 5386.

**Hint:** When dealing with genetic material, base pairs refer to the paired nucleotides in the DNA structure.

### Conclusion
- Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that bacteriophage `phiX174` has **5386 base pairs**.

**Final Answer:** **B. 5386 base pairs**