Final answer:
Yes, transcription termination often results from secondary structures like a hairpin loop formed in the RNA, leading to the dissociation of the transcription complex.
Step-by-step explanation:
Transcription termination is indeed often a result of secondary structures formed in the RNA, which is particularly evident in rho-independent termination. This process occurs when the RNA polymerase transcribes a sequence in the DNA that leads to the formation of a hairpin loop in the RNA molecule. As the polymerase approaches a region rich in C-G nucleotides, the RNA transcript folds back on itself, creating a stable hairpin structure that impedes the elongation process. This stalling of the polymerase eventually results in the dissociation of the RNA polymerase, the DNA template, and the new RNA transcript, thereby ending transcription. Moreover, in prokaryotes, this termination can also be affected by a mechanism known as rho-dependent termination, where the rho protein disrupts the transcription process.