A plasmid of 5 kb is present in a bacterial cell at a copy number of 70 per cell. Each base pair of DNA has a length of 0.34 nm. Calculate the total length of plasmid DNA present in a single cell in micrometres (µm).
Answer
119 µm
The correct answer is 119 µm — Convert nanometres to micrometres: 119 000 nm ÷ 1 000 = 119 µm.
Step-by-step solution
- Determine total base pairs per cell: 5 000 bp × 70 = 350 000 bp.
- Convert base pairs to nanometres: 350 000 bp × 0.34 nm = 119 000 nm.
- Convert nanometres to micrometres: 119 000 nm ÷ 1 000 = 119 µm.
Common mistake: Dividing by 1000 instead of multiplying by 0.34 nm/bp
Concept tested: Calculating plasmid DNA length
Published · How this solution was prepared and checked
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