Who is credited with the discovery of RNA polymerase?

The discovery of RNA polymerase is generally attributed to Jerard Hurwitz. He conducted pioneering work that led to the identification and characterization of this enzyme. RNA polymerase is crucial for the process of transcription, where it synthesizes RNA from a DNA template. Hurwitz's research provided significant insights into the molecular mechanisms of gene expression, enhancing our understanding of how genetic information is transferred within cells.

Charles Loe, Frederick Griffith, and Audrey Stevens focused on different areas of molecular biology. For instance, Griffith is well-known for his work on bacterial transformation, which laid the groundwork for the field of genetics but did not pertain to RNA polymerase specifically. Therefore, while RNA polymerase is a fundamental enzyme first described in the context of RNA synthesis, Jerard Hurwitz is regarded as the key figure in its discovery and characterization.