Final answer:
DNA polymerase III in prokaryotes is composed of ten polypeptide subunits, while DNA polymerase I is composed of a single polypeptide subunit, making the answer to the question Option A: 10; 1.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the subunit composition of DNA polymerase III and DNA polymerase I in prokaryotes, such as E. coli. DNA polymerase III is an oligomeric protein, which means it is composed of more than one polypeptide chain. In the case of DNA polymerase III, it is made up of ten polypeptide subunits including α (alpha), ε (epsilon), and θ (theta), among others, forming the core polymerizing enzyme, and with the additional β and β' subunits (plus others), it forms the complete holoenzyme necessary for DNA replication. DNA polymerase I, on the other hand, is a monomeric enzyme consisting of a single polypeptide that has intrinsic 5'→3' exonuclease activity used for removing RNA primers and proofreading, along with the polymerization activity, which is observed in the large fragment known as the Klenow fragment after mild protease treatment.
Given the information provided, the correct answer to the student's question is Option A: 10; 1. This specifies that DNA polymerase III is composed of ten subunits and DNA polymerase I is composed of one subunit.