[Campbell Biology P.458] The text states that "RNA viruses have a high rate of mutation beca... | Practice Question

The text states that "RNA viruses have a high rate of mutation because viral RNA polymerases do not proofread and correct errors in replicating their RNA genomes." Which of the following is a direct consequence of this high mutation rate?

  • A: RNA viruses are generally more susceptible to antibiotic treatments.
  • B: It becomes easier to develop a single, universal vaccine effective against all strains of an RNA virus.
  • C: Existing immunity from previous exposure or vaccination may become less effective against new viral strains.
  • D: RNA viruses can only infect a narrow range of host species due to their rapid genomic changes.

Explanation

The text explicitly states: 'Some mutations change existing viruses into new viral strains that can cause disease, even in people immune to the original virus.' This directly supports option C, as the lack of proofreading in RNA polymerases leads to high mutation rates, allowing viruses to evolve and potentially evade previous immunity.