Prokaryotic Transcription

These flashcards cover key concepts and mechanisms involved in prokaryotic transcription as discussed in the lecture.

What is the main function of transcription in prokaryotic cells?

Transcription produces an RNA copy of a gene using one strand of DNA as a template.

What is the central dogma of genetics?

DNA is transcribed to RNA, which is then translated to produce proteins.

What are the roles of messenger RNA (mRNA)?

mRNA serves as a temporary copy of a gene and contains the information needed to make a polypeptide.

What does the term 'polycistronic' refer to?

Polycistronic means that a single mRNA molecule encodes multiple polypeptides, commonly found in prokaryotes.

What structural features do intrinsic terminators contain?

Intrinsic terminators have a hairpin (stem-loop) structure rich in G-C base pairs followed by a U track.

How does RNA polymerase recognize the promoter in prokaryotic transcription?

RNA polymerase binds to the promoter region, recognized by sigma factors, which interact with -35 and -10 sequences.

What is the template strand in transcription?

The template strand is the DNA strand that RNA polymerase reads to synthesize RNA, complementary to the RNA transcript.

What is Rho-dependent termination in bacterial transcription?

Rho-dependent termination involves the Rho factor binding to RNA and causing RNA polymerase to dissociate upon reaching the pause site.

Define 'transcription bubble.'

The transcription bubble is a region where the DNA strands are separated during transcription, allowing RNA synthesis.

What regulatory sequences are found in a gene?

Regulatory sequences include promoters, enhancers, and other elements that regulate transcription but are not transcribed into RNA.