All AP Biology Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #21 : Transcription
Which of these does not contribute to the termination of RNA transcription in bacteria?
Reattachment of the sigma factor
Hairpin loops
Rho factor
Disruption of uracil-adenine RNA-DNA hybrid
Reattachment of the sigma factor
The sigma factor is an important part of initiation for prokaryotic transcription. Once transcription has been initiated, however, the sigma factor is released during elongation. RNA polymerase synthesizes the RNA product until it is interrupted in one of two ways. In rho-dependent termination, a rho factor protein interferes with RNA polymerase binding and causes it to release the DNA strand. In rho-independent termination, structural features of the DNA cause RNA polymerase to become detached. The structures include hairpin loops, which generate steric hindrance, and adenine-rich sequences, which lead to weak binding of the RNA product to the DNA template.
Example Question #22 : Transcription
In prokaryotic transcription, which of the following is recruited to facilitate the binding of the synthesis enzyme to the DNA template?
RNA polymerase
A promoter sequence
The sigma factor
Messenger RNA
The sigma factor
Inactive RNA polymerase must bind to a specific sigma factor in order to become active in gene transcription. Sigma factors are specialized transcription factors involved in recruiting and activating RNA polymerase. Only once RNA polymerase has bound the sigma factor can it identify promoter sequences and initiate transcription.
mRNA is the product of transcription and is not involved in prokaryotic RNA polymerase recruitment. An RNA primer is essential to recruiting DNA polymerase for DNA replication.
Example Question #23 : Transcription
Which of the following is not true about prokaryotic transcription?
RNA polymerase binds directly to the Shine-Delgarno sequence for some promoters
Transcription occurs in the cytoplasm
mRNA is not subject to post-transcriptional modifications
RNA polymerase interacts directly with the DNA
RNA polymerase binds directly to the Shine-Delgarno sequence for some promoters
RNA polymerase does not interact with the Shine-Delgarno sequence. The Shine-Delgarno sequence is present on some prokaryotic mRNAs and serves as a ribosomal binding site for the initiation of translation. RNA polymerase is only involved in transcription and will bind to DNA, not RNA.
The other answers are all true and unique to prokaryotic transcription. Eukaryotic transcription is much more tightly regulated by transcription factors and DNA packaging (chromatin), and is confined to the nucleus.
Example Question #21 : Transcription
Which of these are characteristic of transcription in eukaryotes?
I. Transcription can occur at the same time as translation
II. The resulting RNA molecule is functionally mature
III. The resulting RNA molecule must undergo splicing and other modifications before it is functional
IV. Transcription occurs in the cytoplasm
I, II, and IV
I and III
II only
I and IV
III only
III only
Prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cytosol, since prokaryotes lack a nucleus. This allows ribosomes to interact with RNA even while it is still be synthesized.
In contrast, eukaryotic transcription occurs in the nucleus. Once RNA has been synthesized it must be transported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm before it can interact with ribosomes. The newly-synthesized RNA undergoes splicing to remove introns, addition of a 5'-cap, and addition of a poly-A tail before it can exit the nucleus. These modifications help prevent degradation of the RNA. Only after these modifications can the RNA leave the nucleus and becomes functionally active.
Example Question #22 : Transcription
What is a Shine-Delgarno sequence?
A site for restriction endonuclease digestion
A polymerase binding site in prokaryotic DNA
A polymerase binding site in eukaryotic RNA primers
A ribosomal binding site in prokaryotic mRNA
A ribosomal binding site in eukaryotic mRNA
A ribosomal binding site in prokaryotic mRNA
Shine-Delgarno sequences are ribosomal binding sites slightly upstream of start codons on prokaryotic mRNA. Eukaryotic mRNA is more complicated (it does not contain Shine-Delgarno sequences) and contains promoter regions that are responsible for recruiting translation factors and ribosomal subunits.
Example Question #26 : Transcription
How does prokaryotic transcription differ from eukaryotic transcription?
Prokaryotic transcripts are polycistronic
Only prokaryotes use promoters
Prokaryotic RNA polymerase transcribes the coding strand, rather than the template strand
Prokaryotic transcripts are translated directly in the nucleus
Prokaryotic transcripts are polycistronic
While prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription processes are quite similar, there are some key differences. One significant difference is that prokaryotic transcripts can contain multiple genes, which will then transition as a single RNA strand to the ribosome. This is referred to as a polycistronic transcript. Eukaryotes have only one gene per transcript.
Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes use promoters. Prokaryotes do not have nuclei, though transcription and translation can occur simultaneously and in close proximity in these cells.
Example Question #27 : Transcription
In a bacterial cell, RNA polymerase binds to a promoter. What needs to bind to RNA polymerase for transcription to initiate?
A metal cofactor
A sigma factor
An alpha factor
A gamma factor
A prosthetic group
A sigma factor
In bacterial cells, binding of a sigma factor to RNA polymerase is required for the initiation of transcription. Once the sigma factor binds, RNA polymerase is referred to as a holoenzyme and begins to make the RNA transcript.
Example Question #23 : Transcription
Which of the following correctly pairs the part of an operator with its function?
Inducer; decreases RNA polymerases’ transcription of genes
Corepressor; signals for RNA polymerase to binds and transcribe genes
Operator; region where the repressor binds
Promoter; contains the genes to be transcribed
Operator; region where the repressor binds
The operator region is the location where the repressor binds. Other parts of an operon include the promoter (where RNA polymerase binds), and structural genes.
Example Question #24 : Transcription
How is transcription controlled in prokaryotes?
Addition of 5’ cap
Repressor and activators
Addition of 3’ polyadenylated tail
Intron splicing
Repressor and activators
Addition of 5’ cap, 3’ tail, and intron splicing occur in eukaryotes, not prokaryotes. Repressors bind to the operator region of the gene and prevent RNA polymerase from transcribing the gene, while activators bind to the promoter and increase transcription of the gene.
Example Question #25 : Transcription
Which of the following binds to the repressor of an operon to prevent the repressor from binding to the operator region?
inducer
activator
corepressor
unrepressor
inducer
A repressor is a molecule that binds to the operator region of a gene and prevents RNA polymerase from transcribing the genes. An inducer can bind to a repressor, preventing the repressor from binding to the operator region, and thus allowing RNA polymerase to transcribe the genes.