What initiation and termination factors are involved in transcription in Eukaryotes ?
Answer: (A) σ and ρ, respectively. Answer: marked BONUS — none of the options is correct.
- A.σ and ρ, respectively✓
- B.α and β, respectively
- C.β and γ, respectively
- D.α and σ, respectively
Correct Answer
(A) σ and ρ, respectively
Solution & Explanation
Answer: marked BONUS — none of the options is correct. The initiation and termination factors named in NCERT are sigma (σ) and rho (ρ), and these are described in the context of the single bacterial (prokaryotic) RNA polymerase, NOT eukaryotic transcription; eukaryotic transcription uses a different set of general transcription factors not named in the NCERT text. The given options (s and r; a and b; b and g; a and s) do not correctly state the eukaryotic factors, so the paper awarded this question as a bonus with no correct option. NCERT Ch 5, p.94, lines 011-014: "The RNA polymerase is only capable of catalysing the process of elongation. It associates transiently with initiation-factor (σ) and termination-factor (ρ) to initiate and terminate the transcription, respectively."