Final answer:
The enzyme polynucleotide phosphorylase does indeed generate a random assembly of ribonucleotides, making the statement A. true. This contrasts with the specificity required by RNA polymerase in prokaryotes like E. coli.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzyme polynucleotide phosphorylase is capable of generating a random assembly of ribonucleotides. The statement would be true, as it can indeed synthesize RNA molecules without the need for a DNA template, by catalyzing the sequential addition of ribonucleotides to form an RNA strand.
However, this characteristic is not shared with RNA polymerases found in prokaryotes like E. coli, where the RNA polymerase requires the sigma factor (σ) to initiate transcription accurately. Without σ, the core enzyme would transcribe from random sites on DNA, producing nonsense mRNA that does not correctly specify a protein.
Additional Information
It is important to note that A, C, G, and T represent the bases in DNA, while RNA contains A, C, G, and U (uracil instead of thymine). Also, RNA typically forms a single-stranded molecule rather than a double helix.