Question

Gene X is subjected to UV radiation and it gets converted to Y. X was not harmful earlier but gets activated to form Y and now causes cancer. What are X and Y respectively?

• A. Oncogene, proto oncogene
• B. Suppressor, tumor suppressor
• C. Proto oncogene, oncogene
• D. Tumor suppressor, suppressor

Answer 1

The correct option is C Proto oncogene, oncogene

There are two types of genes that are associated with cancer.
These are:

• Oncogenes
• Tumor suppressor genes

Tumor suppressor genes are the normal genes that slow down cell division, repair DNA or tell cells when to die. When mutated, they may cause cancer.

The other set of genes are the proto oncogenes which normally help cells to grow and divide. When these proto oncogenes are mutated, they result in the formation of oncogenes. This is the 'bad' gene which causes cancer.

Therefore, here gene X is a proto oncogene, which when activated, formed Y, which is an oncogene.