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GATE 2022 BT Q.17: solution and answer

GATE 2022 · BTQ.17 · 1 mark · MCQ

In binomial nomenclature, the name of a bacterial strain is written with the first letter of ___________ word(s) being capitalized.

  1. (A)

    first

  2. (B)

    second

  3. (C)

    neither

  4. (D)

    first and second

See the question in the paper
GATE 2022 BT question 17Tap to open full size

Answer and solution

ANSWER

Option (A): only the first word, the genus, is capitalized.

Official answer: ASource: Official answer key, GATE 2022 BT (IIT Kharagpur)

  1. Binomial nomenclature gives every species a two-part Latin name: the genus first, then the species epithet, for example Escherichia coli.

  2. The genus name is always capitalized, because it names a group of related organisms.

  3. The species epithet is always written in lower case, even when it honours a person or a place.

  4. A bacterial strain is named by its species binomial followed by the strain designation, for example Escherichia coli K-12. The binomial follows the same rule, so only the first word, the genus, starts with a capital letter.

  5. Option (A), first, is correct.

  6. Option (B), second, is wrong because the species epithet is never capitalized.

  7. Option (C), neither, is wrong because the genus is always capitalized.

  8. Option (D), first and second, is wrong because the epithet stays in lower case.

KEY IDEA

In a binomial name the genus starts with a capital letter and the species epithet is all lower case. Both are italicized, and a strain designation follows after them.

WATCH OUT FOR

Capitalizing the species epithet as well, or thinking that a strain name such as K-12 changes the capitalization rule for the binomial.

From the GATE 2022 BT paper. Every question of this paper · Download the full paper · All 8 Microbiology questions, with notes

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