mRNA technology works by:

Explanation

mRNA, or messenger RNA, technology does not permanently change a cell. It delivers synthetic, laboratory-created mRNA into cells, where the cell machinery reads those instructions and makes a target protein. In COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, that target is a harmless piece of the spike protein. The displayed protein then helps trigger an immune response, including antibody production. This is why the best description is temporary instruction-giving, not DNA insertion or direct virus killing. The CDC source also notes that cells break down the vaccine mRNA within a few days and that it does not enter the cell nucleus where DNA is located. Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman received the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for foundational work on mRNA vaccines.

Why the other options are wrong

• (A) mRNA technology does not insert DNA permanently; the CDC explains that vaccine mRNA does not enter the nucleus where DNA is located and is broken down by cells.
• (C) mRNA does not kill viruses directly; it instructs cells to make a target protein that triggers an immune response.
• (D) mRNA does not replace the immune system; it helps train or trigger immune responses such as antibody production.

Concept

This tests biotechnology in Science and Technology, especially the distinction between genetic instructions, protein production and immune response. It recurs in RAS because vaccines, public health technology and Nobel-linked scientific advances are common current-affairs anchors.

Source

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Related questions

• 3D printing technology is also known as:
• A Geiger-Müller counter is used to detect:
• A scramjet engine differs from a ramjet in that it:
• A seismograph is used to:
• A VPN (Virtual Private Network) primarily provides:
• According to the 26 April 2026 Department of Space release, what was the approximate number of Indian space startups by early 2026?