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Rho-Dependent Terminator

The rho-dependent terminator received its name because it is dependent on a specific protein called a rho factor. The rho factor is thought to bind to the end of the RNA chain and slide along the strand towards the open complex bubble. When the factor catches the polymerase, it causes the termination of transcription. The mechanism of this termination is unclear, but the rho factor could in some way pull the polymerase complex off of the DNA strand.

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