Basis of differentiation | Prokaryotic Protein Synthesis | Eukaryotic Protein Synthesis |
mRNA molecules | mRNA molecules are polycistronic and contain the coding sequences of several genes in a metabolic pathway | mRNA molecules are monocistronic and contain the coding sequence of only one peptide |
Splicing | Neither splicing nor processing of the mRNA transcript occurs | The main mRNA transcript goes through processing and splicing to form a functional mRNA molecule |
Presence of introns | Do not contain introns and only contain exons | Most of the genes contain introns as well as exons, the exons are joined together and introns become removed during mRNA processing |
First methionine | The first methionine entering the ribosome is formylated into N formyl methionine | The methionine entering the ribosome is not formylated |
Initiating factors | Its initiating factor are PIF-1, PIF-2, and PIF-3 | Its initiating factors are eIF1-6, eIF4B, EIF4C,EIF4D, EIF4F |
Where translation begins | Translation begins at the AUG codon | Translation begins through the 5’ cap binding the mRNA to the ribosomal unit at the first AUG codon |
Transcription/translation events | Translation and transcription occurs simultaneously | Transcription occurs first and translation occurs subsequently |
mRNA formation | Bacterial mRNA formation does not include the addition of a cap and poly A tail (except in archaebacteria) | mRNA formation includes the addition of a 5’ cap and poly A tail (of approximately 200 adenine nucleotides) at the 3’ end of a mRNA transcript |