Biology Forums - Study Force

Why does rho-dependent transcriptional termination in bacteria require the rho protein?

▸ RNA Polymerase stalls at various sites in the gene and rho helps push RNA Polymerase to the end of the gene.

▸ The rho protein assists in formation of the termination stem-loop that pauses the RNA Polymerase.

▸ The rho protein helps unwind the stem-loop structure after the RNA has been released by RNA Polymerase.

▸ RNA Polymerase stalls on the termination stem-loop and rho is needed to displace the RNA Polymerase.

▸ The stem-loop is insufficiently stable to displace the RNA Polymerase by itself and needs rho protein to assist.

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