A team of researchers has isolated a chemical from a tropical tree that causes insects to die when they ingest it. The researchers determine that the chemical deactivates the enzyme RNA polymerase. This chemical likely causes the insects to die by interfering directly with

Transcription

Explanation:

Transcription is the first process of gene expression involving the synthesis of a mRNA molecule from a segment of DNA (gene). Transcription is key to the production of proteins, which bring about biochemical activities, in every living organism. The process of transcription is catalyzed by an enzyme called RNA polymerase.

According to the question that describes a chemical found to be produced by a tropical tree that kills insects. The chemical is discovered to deactivate RNA polymerase enzyme in the insect. This utterly means the chemical is interfering with the process of transcription of genes in the insect because transcription cannot occur without RNA polymerase.

a tetrad is the foursome during meiosis made by two homologous chromosomes that have each already replicated into a pair of sister chromatids.