What is a significant difference between translation in bacterial cells and eukaryotic cells?

• A. In bacterial cells, ribosomes are larger than in eukaryotic cells.
• B. In bacterial cells, translation can begin before transcription is complete, while in eukaryotic cells, translation occurs after mRNA processing.
• C. In eukaryotic cells, translation occurs in the mitochondria, while in bacterial cells, it occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum.
• D. In bacterial cells, translation occurs in the cytoplasm, while in eukaryotic cells, it occurs in the nucleus.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process of translation: Translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using mRNA as a template.
2. Identify the cellular locations: In bacterial cells, translation occurs in the cytoplasm. In eukaryotic cells, translation occurs in the cytoplasm after mRNA processing in the nucleus.
3. Consider the timing of translation: In bacterial cells, translation can begin while transcription is still ongoing because both processes occur in the cytoplasm.
4. Recognize the compartmentalization in eukaryotic cells: In eukaryotic cells, transcription occurs in the nucleus, and the mRNA must be processed and transported to the cytoplasm before translation can begin.
5. Compare the processes: The significant difference is that in bacterial cells, translation can start before transcription is complete, whereas in eukaryotic cells, translation occurs only after mRNA processing and export from the nucleus.