Which types of cells have a transcription start point?

• A. Prokaryotes
• B. Eukaryotes
• C. Both Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
• D. Neither

Answer: (C)

Transcription begins at a defined nucleotide in the DNA—the transcription start site—where RNA polymerase starts making RNA. In prokaryotes, the polymerase, guided by promoter elements such as the -35 and -10 regions, locks onto the DNA and sets the +1 position as the start. In eukaryotes, RNA polymerase II relies on general transcription factors and core promoter elements (often including a TATA box and initiator) to position the enzyme at the transcription start site. The presence of a precise starting point for transcription in both kinds of cells shows that this feature is universal across these organisms. If you see a choice suggesting only one type or neither, that would miss this shared mechanism, since both have a defined transcription start point.