question: What is the name for a tool commonly used by molecular biologists to place genetic material into cells?
distractor3: a dna vector
distractor1: a embryonic vector
distractor2: an rna vector
correct_answer: a viral vector
support: Geneticists often use viruses as vectors to introduce genes into cells that they are studying. A viral vector is a tool commonly used by molecular biologists to place genetic material into cells. To be a useful viral vector, the virus is modified so that it will not cause disease, and it will infect only certain types of cells. Phages are often used as vectors to genetically modify bacteria.