In prokaryotic cells, transcription and translation can occur simultaneously in the cytoplasm.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only transcription occurs in cytoplasm
• D. Only translation occurs in cytoplasm

Answer: (A)

In prokaryotic cells, transcription and translation can occur simultaneously in the cytoplasm because there is no nuclear envelope to separate them. As RNA polymerase is making mRNA, ribosomes can attach to the nascent transcript and begin translating it right away. This coupling lets the cell speed up protein production and respond quickly to changing conditions. In contrast, eukaryotic cells keep transcription in the nucleus and translation in the cytoplasm, after the mRNA is processed and exported, so the two processes don’t happen at the same time. So the statement is true, since both transcription and translation take place in the cytoplasm in prokaryotes.