What DNA sequence serves as a start site for transcription?

promoter
The first step in transcription is initiation, when the RNA pol binds to the DNA upstream (5′) of the gene at a specialized sequence called a promoter (Figure 2a).

What is the prokaryotic and eukaryotic promoter site?

Eukaryotic vs Prokaryotic Promoters Eukaryotic promoters are the regulatory sequences that initiate the transcription of eukaryotic organisms. Prokaryotic promoters are the regulatory sequences that initiates the transcription of prokaryotic genes.

Where and how does transcription start in a prokaryotic cell?

With the genes bound in the nucleus, transcription occurs in the nucleus of the cell and the mRNA transcript must be transported to the cytoplasm. In prokaryotes, which lack membrane-bound nuclei and other organelles, transcription occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell.

Which DNA sequences do eukaryotic transcription factors bind to?

However, unlike prokaryotic cells, the eukaryotic RNA polymerase requires other proteins, or transcription factors, to facilitate transcription initiation. Transcription factors are proteins that bind to the promoter sequence and other regulatory sequences to control the transcription of the target gene.

Do prokaryotes have transcription?

Prokaryotic transcription is the process in which messenger RNA transcripts of genetic material in prokaryotes are produced, to be translated for the production of proteins. Prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cytoplasm alongside translation. Prokaryotic transcription and translation can occur simultaneously.

What is the site of transcription in eukaryotes?

nucleus
A eukaryotic cell has a nucleus that separates the processes of transcription and translation. Eukaryotic transcription occurs within the nucleus where DNA is packaged into nucleosomes and higher order chromatin structures.

Do eukaryotes and prokaryotes have promoters?

Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcriptions use a common enzyme, RNA polymerase, to transcribe DNA into RNA. Prokaryotes only carry three promoter elements, -10, -35, and the UP elements, whereas eukaryotes carry a wide variety of promoter elements (4).

What is the promoter sequence in eukaryotes?

Promoter sequences define the direction of transcription and indicate which DNA strand will be transcribed; this strand is known as the sense strand. Many eukaryotic genes have a conserved promoter sequence called the TATA box, located 25 to 35 base pairs upstream of the transcription start site.

Where does transcription occur in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cytoplasm alongside translation. Prokaryotic transcription and translation can occur simultaneously. This is impossible in eukaryotes, where transcription occurs in a membrane-bound nucleus while translation occurs outside the nucleus in the cytoplasm.

How is transcription different in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Eukaryotes have three types of RNA polymerases, I, II, and III, and prokaryotes only have one type. Another main difference between the two is that transcription and translation occurs simultaneously in prokaryotes and in eukaryotes the RNA is first transcribed in the nucleus and then translated in the cytoplasm.

What are the transcription factors in prokaryotes?

Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that bind to specific sequences on the DNA near their target genes, thus modulating transcription initiation. TFs can activate or repress transcription depending where they bind relative to the transcription start site of the target gene [1].

What binds to the promoter in prokaryotic cells?

The promoter contains specific DNA sequences that are recognized by proteins known as transcription factors. These factors bind to the promoter sequences, recruiting RNA polymerase, the enzyme that synthesizes the RNA from the coding region of the gene.

How is transcription initiated in prokaryotic cells?

In Summary: Prokaryotic Transcription. In prokaryotes, mRNA synthesis is initiated at a promoter sequence on the DNA template comprising two consensus sequences that recruit RNA polymerase. The prokaryotic polymerase consists of a core enzyme of four protein subunits and a σ protein that assists only with initiation.

What are the -10 and -35 regions of prokaryotic promoters called?

The -10 and -35 regions of prokaryotic promoters are called consensus sequences because they are similar in all bacterial species. In prokaryotes, mRNA synthesis is initiated at a promoter sequence on the DNA template comprising two consensus sequences that recruit RNA polymerase.

Which DNA is carried by prokaryotes?

The DNA which is carried by prokaryotes is called prokaryotic DNA. Prokaryotic DNA is found in the cytoplasm of bacteria. Some prokaryotic DNA is found as the circular plasmids, carrying additional information.

What is the TATA box in prokaryotic transcription?

One important sequence in the prokaryotic promoter is located 10 bases before the transcription start site (-10) and is commonly called the TATA box. Figure 1 The general structure of a prokaryotic promoter. To begin transcription, the RNA polymerase holoenzyme assembles at the promoter.