Final answer:
The termination of a prokaryotic gene depends on whether it is rho-dependent or rho-independent. Rho-dependent termination requires the rho protein, which interacts with RNA polymerase at a run of G nucleotides to end transcription. Intrinsic termination occurs through a hairpin structure in mRNA and does not require rho protein.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the rho protein is missing, will a prokaryotic gene be terminated? The answer is it depends on the gene. Prokaryotic gene regulation can involve two types of transcription termination mechanisms: rho-dependent and rho-independent. Rho-dependent termination relies on the rho protein, which detects the presence of a run of G nucleotides on the DNA template, causing the polymerase to stall. The rho protein then interacts with the polymerase to terminate transcription and release the mRNA. However, in rho-independent termination, also known as intrinsic termination, the presence of a hairpin structure in the mRNA formed by a region rich in C and G nucleotides can cause the RNA polymerase to stall and dissociate without the need for the rho protein.