Which of the Following is NOT a Characteristic of Both

Question

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of both DNA and RNA polymerases?
A) directionality of synthesis
B) energy is provided by pyrophosphate
C) hydrogen bonding of complementary nucleotides
D) requirement for an initiation signal
E) requirement for a primer

Accepted Answer

Both DNA and RNA polymerases require a primer to initiate synthesis, so E is the only choice that is not a shared characteristic. Directionality of synthesis (A), energy provided by pyrophosphate (B), and hydrogen bonding of complementary nucleotides (C) are all features of both polymerases. While the initiation signal may differ between DNA and RNA polymerases, both require some sort of signal to initiate synthesis (D).