Before You Begin
Question #45145
The Question
Researchers use sandwich ELISA to monitor the environmental presence of a highly specialized, obligate parasitic virus in a fragmented ecosystem by detecting its specific capsomeric antigens. Over five years, the ELISA optical density (OD) readings across all samples drop to baseline zero. Assuming no viral mutations or human antiviral interventions occurred, which of the following is the most accurate deduction based on the 'Evil Quartet' of biodiversity loss?
Options
- A.
The obligate host species has undergone extirpation, leading to the co-extinction of the virus and the subsequent absence of detectable antigen-antibody complexes.
- B.
Habitat fragmentation has directly reduced the viral carrying capacity, biochemically preventing the enzyme-linked secondary antibody from converting the chromogenic substrate.
- C.
An alien species invasion has competitively excluded the virus from its niche, leading to a lack of capture antibody binding in the ELISA wells.
- D.
Over-exploitation of the ecosystem has forced the virus into a prolonged lysogenic cycle, where its capsomeric antigens are highly expressed but structurally undetectable.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Comparative_Analysis
Sharpen your ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and distinguish between competing potential answers.
Concepts Behind This Question
ELISA|Co-extinction Logic|Pathogen-Host Specificity
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Integrating molecular diagnostic principles (ELISA antigen detection) with macro-ecological phenomena (Co-extinction from the Evil Quartet).
Common Misconception: Students often compartmentalize Biotechnology and Ecology.
They might choose a distractor that sounds biotechnologically complex (like lysogeny or enzyme failure) rather than recognizing that a zero ELISA signal in an environmental context perfectly mirrors the ecological concept of co-extinction (obligate mutualism/parasitism collapse).
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Biotechnology and Its Applications - Class 12 |
| Concept | Molecular Diagnosis by ELISA |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |