During the process of transcription in bacteria, a stage is reached where the nascent RNA falls off and the RNA polymerase also separates from the DNA, marking the end of the process. Which of the following transiently associates with the RNA polymerase to facilitate this specific event?

Step-by-step solution

In prokaryotes, the core RNA polymerase is only capable of catalysing the elongation step of transcription. To terminate the process, the RNA polymerase must transiently associate with a termination factor, known as the (rho) factor, when it reaches the terminator region. This association alters the specificity of the enzyme, causing the nascent RNA and the polymerase to fall off the DNA. The (sigma) factor is required for initiation, not termination. The core enzyme cannot terminate transcription on its own, and D