Final answer:
The claim that elongation would not occur if IF1 is not present is false. IF1 is involved in the initiation phase of protein synthesis, while elongation is driven by elongation factors after the translation process has been successfully initiated.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'If IF1 is not present, elongation would not occur' is false. Initiation Factor 1 (IF1) is involved in the initiation phase of protein synthesis, specifically helping the 30S ribosomal subunit to bind to mRNA. However, during the elongation phase of translation, it is the elongation factors, notably the eukaryotic elongation factor (eEF2 in eukaryotes or EF-G in prokaryotes), and not initiation factors like IF1, that play a crucial role. Elongation of the polypeptide chain requires successive charged tRNA molecules to enter the A site of the ribosome, based on the sequence of codons present in the mRNA. The process is facilitated by elongation factors which are distinct from the initiation factors required at the very beginning of protein synthesis. Without IF1, the initiation process may be affected, but once the translation process is initiated, elongation can proceed with the help of elongation factors and the presence of charged tRNAs, mRNA, and the other components of the translation machinery.