Question

The antibiotic commonly used in inducing the mutations in cytoplasmic genes is

• A. Tetramycin
• B. Streptomycin
• C. Tetracycline
• D. Cyclosporin

Answer 1

The correct option is B Streptomycin

Streptomycin serves as the mutagen for cytoplasmic genes but does not show any mutagenicity towards nuclear genes. This is because it targets cytoplasmic male sterility. The growth of organisms in the presence of streptomycin induces resistance against the drug governed by cytoplasmic genes and mutation in other cytoplasmic genes also. All cytoplasmic genes that are mutated by streptomycin are present as single linkage group on chloroplast genome. The correct answer is B.