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Transcription in Prokaryotes definitions

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  • Promoter
    A DNA sequence upstream of a gene that recruits proteins to initiate RNA synthesis in prokaryotes.
  • Consensus Sequence
    A DNA region with similar, but not identical, nucleotide patterns found across prokaryotic species, guiding transcription initiation.
  • Pribnow Box
    A common promoter element located 10 base pairs upstream of the transcription start site, crucial for RNA polymerase binding.
  • RNA Polymerase Holoenzyme
    A multi-component enzyme complex responsible for catalyzing RNA synthesis, including both core and specificity factors.
  • Core Enzyme
    The catalytic portion of RNA polymerase that synthesizes RNA but lacks specificity for promoter recognition.
  • Sigma Factor
    A detachable protein subunit that directs RNA polymerase to specific promoter sequences, determining which RNA is transcribed.
  • Transcription Bubble
    A locally unwound DNA region, about 18 nucleotides long, where active RNA synthesis occurs during elongation.
  • Termination Sequence
    A DNA region signaling the end of transcription, leading to release of the RNA transcript and dissociation of the polymerase.
  • Rho-dependent Termination
    A process where a specific protein factor binds RNA, facilitating transcript release at the end of a gene.
  • Rho-independent Termination
    A mechanism where RNA forms a structure that causes polymerase to detach without the need for additional proteins.
  • Intrinsic Termination
    A rare process where weak uracil-rich RNA-DNA bonds cause spontaneous dissociation of the transcript.
  • Polycistronic mRNA
    A single RNA molecule containing multiple gene sequences, allowing coordinated expression of several proteins.
  • Transcription Initiation
    The stage where RNA polymerase and associated factors assemble at the promoter to begin RNA synthesis.
  • Transcription Elongation
    The phase where RNA polymerase moves along DNA, synthesizing RNA within the transcription bubble.
  • Transcription Termination
    The final stage of transcription, involving release of the RNA transcript and dissociation of the polymerase from DNA.