Final answer:
Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression require ribosomes for protein synthesis, which makes option (c) the correct answer. The processes differ in complexity and location, with eukaryotic cells having multiple levels of regulation and spatial separation of transcription and translation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement regarding the distinction between prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression is option (c): Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression require ribosomes for protein synthesis. This is because, despite the differences in complexity and cellular organization between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the fundamental process of translating RNA into proteins using ribosomes is universal to both types of cells.
Prokaryotic gene expression is regulated mainly at the transcriptional level and lacks the additional regulatory steps found in eukaryotic cells, such as splicing of mRNA. On the other hand, eukaryotic gene expression is controlled at multiple levels, including the epigenetic level, transcriptional level, pre- and post-transcriptional levels, translational level, and post-translational level. Unlike prokaryotic cells where transcription and translation occur almost simultaneously in the cytoplasm, in eukaryotic cells, these processes are separated spatially with transcription occurring inside the nucleus and translation in the cytoplasm.