Caught in the Act!
Transcription
a. Based on the position of the mRNAs, where are the RNA polymerases?
b. How many transcripts were being synthesized at the moment this cell was “caught in the act”?
Therefore, how many RNA polymerases are transcribing this operon simultaneously?
c. Where is the oldest end of each RNA transcript? Is this the 5’ or 3’ end of a transcript?
d. Approximately where is the promoter sequence for this operon located? Locate the -10 and -35
regions on the DNA.
e. Which of the RNA polymerases “found” this promoter sequence first?
Translation
a. Assume this DNA encodes for a single gene, rather than an operon. If this is the case, then
approximately how many copies of the polypeptide chain were being translated at the moment the cell
was “caught in the act”?
b. Where would the most completely translated polypeptide be located?