Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Matching historical scientific discoveries with the researchers responsible helps contextualize the development of biotechnology and molecular biology.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us associate each scientist with their landmark discovery:
- Alec Jeffreys (often spelled Jeffery): Sir Alec Jeffreys developed the technique of DNA fingerprinting in 1984 after discovering that human DNA contains highly variable, repetitive regions called minisatellites.
Therefore, (A) matches with (III).
- Howard Temin and David Baltimore: They independently discovered the enzyme reverse transcriptase in RNA tumor viruses in 1970, demonstrating that genetic information can flow backward from RNA to DNA.
Therefore, (B) matches with (I).
- Frederick Griffith: Griffith described the transforming principle in 1928, showing that non-virulent strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae could be transformed into virulent strains by acquiring genetic material from heat-killed virulent strains.
Therefore, (C) matches with (IV).
- Kary Mullis: Kary Mullis invented the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in 1983, a revolutionary technique that allows rapid amplification of specific DNA sequences.
Therefore, (D) matches with (II).
Combining these pairs yields: (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II).
Step 3: Final Answer:
Hence, the correct option is (D).