Final answer:
Rho-independent termination, also known as intrinsic termination, is controlled by specific DNA sequences, leading to the transcription of mRNA that forms a hairpin loop, causing RNA polymerase to stall and release the mRNA transcript.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rho-independent termination of transcription is also known as intrinsic termination. This process in prokaryotes is distinct from rho-dependent termination in that it does not require the rho protein to occur. Instead, rho-independent termination is controlled by specific sequences within the DNA template strand. As the RNA polymerase nears the end of the gene it's transcribing, it encounters a region plentiful in C-G nucleotides. The transcribed mRNA then folds into a stable hairpin loop due to the complementary base pairing of these C-G nucleotides. This structure, along with a region rich in A-T nucleotides that follows, weakens the interaction between the mRNA and the DNA template. This instability, together with the hairpin loop-induced stalling of the RNA polymerase, leads to the dissociation of the transcription complex and the release of the newly synthesized mRNA molecule.