PPT Slide

Promoter = the sequence of DNA needed for RNA polymerase to

bind to the template and accomplish the initiation reaction

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Why does RNA pol need to know where to initiate transcription? Unlike DNA pol which replicates all of DNA, RNA pol will transcribe only certain regions of the DNA that contains genes (there’s lots of DNA sequence that is not expressed).

As I mentioned the sequence of DNA needed for RNA pol to bind to the template and accomplish the initiation reaction is called a promoter. So, how does RNA pol recognize a specific promoter? E. coli promoters lack any extensive conservation of sequence o

(the function of -35 seq is to proved a signal for recognition by RNA pol, while the -10 seq allows the complex to unwind the DNA)