Escherichia coli is an important material for genetic experiments because

Options

A. It is harmless
B. It is haploid
C. It can be easily cultured
D. Both (b) and (c)

Explanation

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Introduction to E. coli**: Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, is a type of bacteria that is widely used in genetic experiments.

2. **Harmless Nature**: E. coli is generally considered harmless and is actually a beneficial bacterium found in the intestines of humans and other animals. This makes it a safe choice for laboratory experiments.

3. **Haploid Organism**: E. coli is a haploid organism, meaning it has a single set of chromosomes. This is significant because it allows for the direct observation of genetic mutations and their effects without the complications that arise from having two alleles (as in diploid organisms).

4. **Easy Culturing**: E. coli can be easily cultured in laboratory settings. It has a rapid growth rate, with a generation time of about 20 minutes under optimal conditions. This allows researchers to quickly produce large quantities of the bacteria for experimentation.

5. **Conclusion**: The combination of being harmless, haploid, and easy to culture makes E. coli an ideal organism for genetic studies. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that E. coli is important for genetic experiments because it is both haploid and can be easily cultured.

**Final Answer**: E. coli is an important material for genetic experiments because it is harmless, haploid, and can be easily cultured (both B and C).

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