Okay, let's clear some questions:
1) "Lots" is definitely plural. The meaning here is more than one "lot," or group. You may be confusing this with the more common English expression, "lots of," meaning many/much, as in "Lots of my friends have been to Las Vegas." This is too casual for the GMAT, and it wouldn't make sense in the context of this sentence.
BD out.2) "Triply" is an adverb, and thus similar to "thrice," which is not generally used in modern American English. However, we can also use "doubly" and "triply" in places where "twice" and "thrice" wouldn't make sense. For instance, we can say something is "doubly important," meaning it is important in two different ways. I believe that "triply cloned" in this case means that three clones were created, perhaps all at once, rather than that the organism was cloned three separate times.
So what does all that mean? "Triply cloned" and "cloned three times" mean somewhat different things, but without additional guidance, we have no way of determining the author's intent. A doesn't have any special claim to be "the original," and there's nothing wrong/redundant about "three times." This is a very common usage!
A and E are both fine! (In otjher words, the question is flawed, as "Source: Other" questions often are.)
As for C, there are two problems. First, no one in the States say "thrice." Second, and more importantly, C is in the active voice. It is saying the seed lots have cloned (something), rather than that they have been cloned. This doesn't work, so
C is out. _________________