How many recombinant clones must be present in a cDNA library to be 95% certain that the library contains one clone of a particular mRNA molecule representing 0.005% of the total mRNA? A) 5.9 × 10³ B) 6 × 10⁴ C) 6 × 10⁶ D) 5 × 10⁵

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To be 95% certain of having at least one clone of a particular mRNA, the formula N = ln(1-P)/ln(1-f) is used, where P is the probability (0.95) and f is the fraction of the mRNA (0.00005). Solving gives approximately 6 × 10^4.

How Many Recombinant Clones Must Be Present in a CDNA