Which of the Following Does Single Polycistronic MRNA Encode for in Bacteria

Question

Which of the following does single polycistronic mRNA encode for in bacteria?
A)a single enzyme although there are many in the metabolic pathway
B)multiple enzymes of the particular pathway
C)a single mRNA which is split into multiple mRNAs before translation
D)a single peptide with multiple catabolic sites

Accepted Answer

In bacteria, a single polycistronic mRNA encodes for multiple enzymes of a particular metabolic pathway. This is achieved through the presence of multiple coding sequences (cistrons) within a single mRNA molecule. Each cistron codes for a separate protein product and they are often related to one another in function. The polycistronic mRNA is translated in a consecutive manner by ribosomes, producing a series of separate proteins encoded by the different cistrons.