Bacterial transcription

[7]: 125 [8][9][10][11][12][13] The work of the Jones team in Jones et al. 2014 explains some of the underlying causes of bursts and other variability, including stability of the resulting mRNA,[7]: 125  the strength of promotion encoded in the relevant promoter[9] and the duration of transcription due to strength of the TF binding site.

Bacteria heavily rely on transcription and translation to generate proteins that help them respond specifically to their environment.

The sigma factor functions in aiding in promoter recognition, correct placement of RNA polymerase, and beginning unwinding at the start site.

After the sigma factor performs its required function, it dissociates, while the catalytic portion remains on the DNA and continues transcription.

[4] Additionally, RNA polymerase contains a core Mg+ ion that assists the enzyme with its catalytic properties.

[15] Initiation of transcription requires promoter regions, which are specific nucleotide consensus sequences that tell the σ-factor on RNA polymerase where to bind to the DNA.

A fifth subunit, sigma (called the σ-factor), is only present during initiation and detaches prior to elongation.

All promoter regions contain sequences that are considered non-consensus and this helps to distribute σ-factors across the entirety of the genome.

Because nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) need to attach to the OH- molecule on the 3' end of the RNA, transcription always occurs in the 5' to 3' direction.

[16] The attachment of NTPs onto the 3' end of the RNA transcript provides the energy required for this synthesis.

[2] NTPs are also energy producing molecules that provide the fuel that drives chemical reactions in the cell.

[4] Multiple RNA polymerases can be active at once, meaning many strands of mRNA can be produced very quickly.

[2] DNA polymerase has a very different proofreading mechanism that includes exonuclease activity, which contributes to the higher fidelity.