Bacteria with the ability to break down certain types of plastic are placed with a colony of E. coli bacteria that lack this ability. Plasmid transfer occurs between the two colonies of bacteria and some of the E. coli gain the ability to break down plastic as well. What inference can be drawn about the nature of plasmids from this observation? A. Plasmids are carbohydrates which provide structural support. B. Plasmids are lipids which provide energy for the cell. C. Plasmids are proteins which build tissues. D. Plasmids are nucleic acids which can pass on traits

D. Plasmids are nucleic acids which can pass on traits

Explanation:

A Nucleic acid is one of the four biomolecule polymers in living systems. It is made up of monomeric units called Nucleotides. RNA and DNA are the two nucleic acids in existence and they function in storage and expression of genetic information.

According to the question, a colony of bacteria that can break plastics were mixed with the colony that can't break plastics. The two different colonies engage plamids, which conferred the ability to break plastics to some of the colonies that previously couldn't. This tells us that the ability to break plastics in the certain bacteria colony is GENETIC.

If the trait is genetic, the plasmid must be a nucleic acid because of the ability to genetically pass on traits. Note that, a plasmid is an extra-chromosomal DNA (nucleic acid) capable of replicating on its own. Hence, plasmids are nucleic acids which can pass on traits.