The bacterial RNA polymerase covers much more DNA than is co

The bacterial RNA polymerase covers much more DNA than is contained in the promoter consensus sequences. True False

Solution

The statement is true.

Reason: RNA polymerase is the enzyme which brings about transcription of DNA into mRNA. During this process, the RNA polymerase moves through the whole length of the DNA to be transcribed and simultaneously transcribes the mRNA. The promoter consensus sequences of the prokaryotes are short repeats of consensus and conserved sequences which reside just up-stream the coding region of the gene. Although these sequences are not actually transcribed into mRNA, their presence is absolutely required for proper identification and binding of coding region by RNA polymerase. These coding regions can be of multiple lenght ranging upto thousands of kilobases. Thus, the RNA polymerase indeed covers much more DNA than in found in the promoter consensus sequences.