Question

Toadstool mushrooms are poisonous because they inhibit

• A. DNA replication
• B. Transcription
• C. Synthesis of peptides at ribosomal level
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is B Transcription

Toadstool mushrooms are poisonous due to the presence of two types of toxins namely amatoxins and phallotoxins. Amatoxins have a high specificity for RNA polymerase II in the liver. RNA polymerase II is the enzyme of transcription and synthesize RNA using DNA as template. Binding of amatoxins to RNA polymerase II inhibits this enzyme and prevents the formation of mRNA and stopping protein synthesis, finally causing cell death and followed by liver failure. These toxins do not interfere with enzymes of DNA replication

Thus, the correct answer is option B.