RNA POLYMERASE Meaning and
Definition
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RNA polymerase is an enzyme responsible for transcribing DNA into RNA molecules during gene expression. It plays a crucial role in the process of transcription, which is the first step in protein synthesis. RNA polymerase acts as a catalyst, facilitating the formation of phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides to synthesize a complementary RNA strand from a DNA template.
In prokaryotes, RNA polymerase is composed of several subunits, including a core enzyme made up of two alpha subunits, a beta subunit, a beta' subunit, and an omega subunit. Additional subunits, known as sigma factors, are involved in the initiation of transcription by recognizing specific promoter sequences on DNA. The core enzyme, along with the sigma factor, coordinates the unwinding of the DNA helix and the movement of RNA polymerase along the template strand.
In eukaryotes, RNA polymerase consists of multiple subunits, including the core enzyme and several auxiliary proteins called transcription factors, which aid in the recognition of promoter regions. Different types of RNA polymerases, labeled as RNA polymerase I, II, and III, transcribe different classes of genes. RNA polymerase II is responsible for transcribing messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries the genetic information from the DNA to the ribosomes for protein synthesis.
Overall, RNA polymerase is a crucial enzyme in the transcription process, playing a pivotal role in gene expression and the production of functional RNA molecules.
Common Misspellings for RNA POLYMERASE
- 5na polymerase
- 4na polymerase
- rba polymerase
- rma polymerase
- rja polymerase
- rha polymerase
- rnz polymerase
- rns polymerase
- rnw polymerase
- rnq polymerase
- rna oolymerase
- rna lolymerase
- rna 0olymerase
- rna pilymerase
- rna pklymerase
- rna pllymerase
- rna pplymerase
- rna p0lymerase
- rna p9lymerase
- rna pokymerase
Etymology of RNA POLYMERASE
The word "RNA polymerase" is derived from the combination of "RNA" and "polymerase".
The term "RNA" stands for ribonucleic acid, which is a molecule involved in various biological processes, including protein synthesis. It was first discovered by the biochemist Phoebus Levene in 1899 and later extensively studied by scientists such as Severo Ochoa and Francis Crick.
The term "polymerase" refers to an enzyme responsible for catalyzing polymerization reactions. It comes from the Greek word "polymēros", meaning "having many parts", and the suffix "-ase", which generally denotes an enzyme.
Therefore, "RNA polymerase" refers to an enzyme that synthesizes RNA molecules by catalyzing the formation of the phosphodiester bonds between ribonucleotides.
