Which regions of a bacterial promoter play a key role in promoting transcription?

• A. The coding region
• B. The -10 and -35 regions
• C. The Shine-Dalgarno sequence
• D. The operator and repressor regions

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that a bacterial promoter is a specific DNA sequence where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription.
2. Identify the key regions within the promoter that are recognized by the sigma factor of RNA polymerase, which are crucial for transcription initiation.
3. Recall that the -10 and -35 regions (named for their approximate positions upstream of the transcription start site) are conserved sequences important for promoter recognition and binding.
4. Note that the coding region is downstream of the promoter and is not involved in promoting transcription initiation itself.
5. Recognize that the Shine-Dalgarno sequence is involved in translation initiation, and the operator and repressor regions are involved in transcription regulation but not directly in promoter function.