Which term describes testing for the presence or absence of a specific gene?

Which term describes testing for the presence or absence of a specific gene?

• A. Genetic screening
• B. Heredity
• C. mRNA
• D. Alleles

Answer: (A)

Testing for the presence or absence of a specific gene is genetic screening. This means analyzing a person’s DNA to see whether that particular gene is present and, in many cases, whether it carries any disease-related changes. It’s used to assess risk, identify carriers, or confirm a diagnosis. Heredity is about how traits are passed from one generation to the next, not about checking whether a gene is present. mRNA is the messenger RNA produced when a gene is expressed, so it reflects gene activity rather than simply whether the gene exists. Alleles are the different forms a gene can take, not the process of testing for a gene’s presence.

Testing for the presence or absence of a specific gene is genetic screening. This means analyzing a person’s DNA to see whether that particular gene is present and, in many cases, whether it carries any disease-related changes. It’s used to assess risk, identify carriers, or confirm a diagnosis.

Heredity is about how traits are passed from one generation to the next, not about checking whether a gene is present. mRNA is the messenger RNA produced when a gene is expressed, so it reflects gene activity rather than simply whether the gene exists. Alleles are the different forms a gene can take, not the process of testing for a gene’s presence.