Answer to Question #58144 in Genetics for Sanjukta Ghosh

Question

Does RNA serve as the genetic material of some plants and animals other than viruses?

Answer 1

No, currently known cellular forms of life (Plants, Animals, Fungi, Bacteria, Archaea) use only DNA to store genetic information and transfer it to the next generations. RNA here plays a role of intermediary between repository of hereditary information (DNA) and protein biosynthesis machinery (iRNA), aminoacid carrier (tRNA) and ribosome structural element (rRNA). Only Viruses may use either DNA or RNA as genetic material.