In terms of molecular biology, what is a library?

• A. A place where molecular biology textbooks are stored
• B. A collection of clones containing short genetic sequences
• C. A collection of clones containing a large collection of proteins
• D. A collection of clones with different mutant phenotypes

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that in molecular biology, a 'library' refers to a collection of DNA sequences that have been cloned into vectors, allowing for the storage and replication of these sequences.
2. Recognize that these libraries can be genomic libraries, which contain DNA fragments representing the entire genome of an organism, or cDNA libraries, which contain DNA sequences that are complementary to mRNA and represent expressed genes.
3. Consider the purpose of these libraries: they are used for various applications such as gene discovery, sequencing, and functional analysis of genes.
4. Differentiate between the options given: a library is not a collection of textbooks or proteins, but rather a collection of genetic sequences.
5. Conclude that the correct definition of a library in this context is 'a collection of clones containing short genetic sequences,' as it accurately describes the purpose and composition of a molecular biology library.