In microbial ecology studies, the FISH technique identifies organisms based on
A) the presence of green fluorescent protein.
B) fluorescence of unique cofactors or pigments under certain wavelengths of UV light.
C) hybridization of a fluorescent probe to specific ribosomal RNA sequences.
D) the presence of luciferase.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The FISH technique, which stands for Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization, involves the hybridization of a fluorescent probe to specific ribosomal RNA sequences in order to identify organisms. This allows for the visualization of individual cells or populations of cells under a microscope, as the probe will bind only to those cells with the targeted sequence. Thus, option C correctly describes the basis of the FISH technique. Options A, B, and D are not correct as they do not accurately describe the method used in FISH.

In Microbial Ecology Studies, the FISH Technique Identifies Organisms Based