alleryStart learning →What does it mean for a prokaryotic mRNA to be polycistronic?
AOne protein is encoded by several transcripts
BOne transcript specifies more than one protein
COne transcript is translated only after splicing
DOne gene is transcribed by several polymerases
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. One transcript specifies more than one protein
1. Prokaryotic transcription often runs across more than one gene in a single pass.
2. The resulting transcript therefore specifies more than one protein, which is what polycistronic means.
3. Eukaryotic mRNAs are usually monogenic, meaning one transcript specifies a single protein.
4. Splicing is a eukaryotic processing step, so it has no bearing on how many proteins a bacterial transcript encodes.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 15 "Genes and Proteins", section 15.2 Prokaryotic Transcription_
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