Gene regulation differs between prokaryotes and eukaryotes in a few ways.
There are multiple ways gene regulation differs between prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Prokaryotics don't have a nucleus but eukaryotics do (see image below).
- So transcription and its regulation in prokaryotics is much simpler. But the eukaryotes have to transcribe and then have a process for mRNA processing like capping, splicing and adding ply adenine tail, and then have a special mechanism to transport the processed mature mRNA to the cytoplasm from the nucleus.
Because prokayotes don't have a nuclear membrane, transcription and translation can occur at opposite ends of the mRNA molecule at the same time. This is not true for eukaryotes.
Transcription is responsible for most gene regulation in prokaryotes but in eukaryoes gene regulation is more complicated and genes are regulated before and after transcription (see image below).
And another difference is that eukaryotes don't express their genes all at once; they express one at a time. Prokaryotes do.
Prokaryotes don't contain introns. So splicing of introns and joining of exons are not needed. But in eukaryotics, splicing of introns and joining of exons is needed.
Posted August 11, 2022
Prokaryotic organisms are single-celled organisms that do not have a defined nucleus. Their DNA floats freely within the cell cytoplasm. Eukaryotic cells are more complex. They have intracellular organelles and their DNA is contained inside the cell’s nucleus where it is transcribed into RNA. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression are two processes involved in the transcription of genes. These are the key differences between the two processes:
Basis of Comparison | Prokaryotic Gene Expression | Eukaryotic Gene Expression |
Definition | Refers to the process by which information from the prokaryotic genes is used to synthesize a functional gene product | Refers to the process by which information from eukaryotic genes is used to synthesize a functional gene product |
Occurrence | Entire process occurs in the cytoplasm | A part of the process (transcription) occurs inside the nucleus, another part of the process (translation) occurs in the cytoplasm |
Regulation | Regulation occurs at the transcriptional level | Regulation may occur at epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels |
Assembly of transcription initiation factors | Transcription initiation factors do not assemble with the initiation complex | Transcription initiation factors assemble with the initiation complex |
Temporal segregation | Transcription and translation occur simultaneously | Transcription and translation occur at different times |
Promoter elements | Contains only 3 promoter elements | Contains a much larger set of promoter elements including the TATA box |
Types of RNA polymerase | Uses a single type of RNA polymerase | Uses 3 types of RNA polymerases |
Type of mRNA produced | Results in polycistronic mRNA | Results in monocistronic mRNA |
Post-Transcriptional Modifications | Does not include post-transcriptional modifications | Includes post-transcriptional modifications |
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15. Central Dogma & Gene Regulation
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Review of Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Gene Expression
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There are a variety of sigma factors that affect transcription.
Sigma factors are parts of RNA polymerase that recognize promoter regions.
It occurs in the nucleus.
Termination occurs when a stem-loop is formed or due to the presence of Rho protein.
The prokaryotic mRNA does not include introns & does not need to be processed.
Eukaryotes have monocistronic mRNA while prokaryotes can have polycistronic mRNA.
Eukaryotic transcription occurs in the nucleus, while prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cytoplasm.
Eukaryotes use transcription factor proteins in transcription, while prokaryotes use sigma factors.
Simultaneous transcription and translation occur in prokaryotes but not eukaryotes.
All of the above are major differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic transcription.
Because in prokaryotes, transcription and translation both occur in the cytoplasm.
Because in eukaryotes, transcription and translation do not occur in the same location within the cell.
Because prokaryotes have polycistronic mRNA while eukaryotes have monocistronic mRNA.
Because prokaryotes use sigma factors while eukaryotes use transcription factors.