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Question
Control of gene expression in prokaryotes takes place at the level of ______.
Options
Transcription
Translation
DNA-replication
None of the above
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Solution
Control of gene expression in prokaryotes takes place at the level of transcription.
Explanation:
In prokaryotes, the primary and most significant level of gene expression control occurs during transcription. Because prokaryotes lack a nuclear membrane, transcription and translation happen simultaneously in the cytoplasm. Consequently, the cell regulates which proteins are produced mainly by controlling the initiation of transcription, effectively determining whether a gene is copied into mRNA in the first place. While some regulation can occur at the translational level, the “on/off” switch for gene expression in bacteria is almost always found at the transcriptional stage.
