Final answer:
T7 RNAP, or T7 RNA polymerase, allows for efficient in vitro transcription in research laboratories. It synthesizes RNA from a DNA template and requires a specific promoter sequence to initiate transcription. To terminate transcription, the template DNA is cut at a certain site. Overall, T7 RNAP is a valuable tool for synthesizing large amounts of RNA in a short period of time.
Step-by-step explanation:
T7 RNAP, which stands for T7 RNA polymerase, allows for in vitro transcription in research laboratories. It is a robust enzyme derived from the T7 bacteriophage and is commonly used to synthesize milligram amounts of RNA within a short period of time. The T7 RNA polymerase recognizes a hairpin-shaped promoter and can synthesize RNA in the 5' to 3' direction. It requires a specific sequence, known as the promoter, to be present in the cloning vector upstream of the DNA template sequence in order to enable successful transcription. To terminate transcription at the desired sequence, the template DNA must be cut (linearized) prior to RNA synthesis to stop the T7 RNA polymerase. This cutting is usually performed by a restriction enzyme, such as BamHI, which cleaves the DNA template at a specific site. Overall, T7 RNAP allows for efficient RNA synthesis in the laboratory setting.