Question

Which statement is a feature of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes?

a. DNA must be unwound from histone proteins before transcription of a gene takes place.
b. The nuclear membrane separates gene transcription and translation. Genes are organized into operons.
c. One promoter controls a cluster of genes.
d. DNA‑binding proteins influence the ability of RNA polymerase to initiate transcription of a gene.

Answer 1

d: DNA-binding proteins influence the ability of RNA polymerase to initiate transcription of a gene

Step-by-step explanation:

Transcription is the process through which RNA is synthesized using DNA as templates. It can also be described as a process during which the information contained in DNA is encoded as mRNA.

Transcription is an important process in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and consists of 4 major steps:

• Initiation
• Elongation
• Termination
• Final processing

There exist a number of similarities and differences in the transcription process of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Few of these are;

• Both cells use a common enzyme known as RNA polymerase to transcribe DNA to RNA. However, while there exist only one RNA polymerase in prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells have RNA polymerase I, II and III which serve diverse function in the transcription process.

• Transcription takes place in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells but since prokaryotic cells lack nucleus, it takes place in the cytoplasm.

• Transcription process in both cell is initiated with the binding of transcription factor, also known as DNA-binding protein to the promoter region of the DNA.

The correct option is d.