1

Transcription in Prokaryotes and

Eukaryotes

[Summary]

Subject:- Zoology

Course:- BG 4th Semester

Paper:- Core Course 4, Genetics and

Evolutionary Biology

Topic No:- 2.3 –Transcription

Lecture:- Transcription in Prokaryotes

and Eukaryotes
 2

Transcription is the first step in gene expression. It involves copying a

gene's DNA sequence to make an RNA molecule. Transcription is DNA
dependent RNA synthesis. The DNA strand on which RNA is synthesized
is called template strand and the other strand of DNA is called non-
template strand with respect to transcription process. The DNA strand is
copied in 3'-to-5' direction antiparallel to RNA strand which builds in 5'-to-
3' direction. The transcribed segment of DNA is called a transcription unit.
This unit is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that codes for a single RNA
molecule, containing a promoter, an RNA-coding sequence, and a
terminator. An enzyme system converts the genetic information from the
transcription unit of double stranded DNA into a single stranded RNA. The
main enzyme involved in transcription is RNA polymerase (RNA pol). This
enzyme joins the transcription unit at promoter region, then moves along
the RNA coding region to copy the information from template strand to
form primary transcript and then leaves the unit at terminator region. RNA
polymerases have been found in all species, but the number and
composition of these proteins. In bacteria contain a single type of RNA pol
while eukaryotes (multicellular organisms and yeasts) contain three
distinct types, designated I, II, and III. Each polymerase has a specific
function. RNA polymerase I (Pol I) is responsible for the synthesis of only
rRNAs. The principal function of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is synthesis of
mRNAs. RNA polymerase III (Pol III) makes tRNA. DNA-dependent RNA
polymerase, in addition to a DNA template and RNA polymerase, requires
all four ribonucleoside triphosphates as precursors of the nucleotide units
of RNA, as well as Mg2+ ions. The transcription process starts from the
promoter region of transcription unit. First of all RNA pol binds the
promoter region. Then RNA pol polymerizes first few ribonucleotides on
the template strand to initiate the process. After initiation the RNA is
elongated through elongation process where RNA pol moves downstream
along the template strand and adds new ribonucleotide units to the
growing RNA strand. When RNA pol reaches the termination site, both
RNA pol and RNA transcript leaves the transcription unit resulting into
termination of transcription process. In this whole process of transcription
different types of factors are involved which are generally called as
transcription factors.