Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Gene expression in eukaryotes is spatially and temporally divided due to the compartmentalization of the cell.
Transcription and RNA processing occur within the nucleus, whereas translation of mature mRNA into a polypeptide chain occurs within the cytoplasm.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us organize the steps of eukaryotic gene expression in chronological order:
1.
Step 1: Transcription (B): The enzyme RNA polymerase II transcribes the genomic DNA template in the nucleus to synthesize a primary RNA transcript, also known as pre-mRNA.
2. Co-transcriptional and Post-transcriptional Processing (C): The nascent pre-mRNA undergoes several modifications in the nucleus before it is functional:
- Addition of a 7-methylguanosine cap at the 5' end.
- Cleavage of the 3' end and addition of a polyadenylated (poly-A) tail.
- Splicing to remove non-coding introns and join coding exons, catalyzed by the spliceosome complex.
This generates a mature mRNA molecule.
3.
Step 2: Nucleocytoplasmic Export (A): The mature, fully processed mRNA is exported from the nucleus into the cytoplasm through the nuclear pore complexes.
4.
Step 3: Translation (D): In the cytoplasm, the mature mRNA binds to ribosomes, which translate the nucleotide sequence into a functional polypeptide chain.
Thus, the correct chronological sequence of these molecular events is (B) \( \rightarrow \) (C) \( \rightarrow \) (A) \( \rightarrow \) (D).
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct sequence of eukaryotic gene expression is (B), (C), (A), (D), corresponding to option (A).