RNA and proteins are among the most important macromolecues in living
cells. Synthesis of a RNA is carried out by RNA polymerase (RNAP)
whereas that of a protein is done by a ribosome. Both RNAP and ribosome
are mobile workshops which move on their respective tracks step-by-step,
although in a noisy manner, while polymerizing the corresponding
macromolecule subunit-by-subunit using the track as the template.
The movement of these mobile "workshops" are, however, characterized by an
alternating sequence of translocation and pause. We show that the kinetics
of these individual workshops are essentially extensions of the stochastic
Michaelis-Menten kinetics of a single enzyme. We derive the exact
distributions of their dwell times at the successive positions along their
respective tracks which have been measured in recent single molecule
experiments. The collective movement of these workshops is very similar to
that of interacting self-propelled hard rods with internal states; we
predict their phase diagrams which can be tested by electron microscopy.