4.5: Transcription of DNA to RNA (2024)

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    4.5: Transcription of DNA to RNA (1)

    How does a cell use the information in its DNA?

    To transcribe means ‘‘to paraphrase or summarize in writing’’. The information in DNA is transcribed - or summarized - into a smaller version - RNA - that can be used by the cell. This process is called transcription.

    Transcription

    The process in which cells make proteins is called protein synthesis. It actually consists of two processes: transcription and translation. Transcription takes place in the nucleus. It uses DNA as a template to make an RNA molecule. RNA then leaves the nucleus and goes to a ribosome in the cytoplasm, where translation occurs. Translation reads the genetic code in mRNA and makes a protein.

    Transcription is the first part of the central dogma of molecular biology: DNA → RNA. It is the transfer of genetic instructions in DNA to messenger RNA (mRNA). During transcription, a strand of mRNA is made that is complementary to a strand of DNA. Figure below shows how this occurs. You can watch an animation of the process at this link:www.biostudio.com/d_%20Transcription.htm.

    4.5: Transcription of DNA to RNA (2)

    Overview of Transcription. Transcription uses the sequence of bases in a strand of DNA to make a complementary strand of mRNA. Triplets are groups of three successive nucleotide bases in DNA. Codons are complementary groups of bases in mRNA.

    Steps of Transcription

    Transcription takes place in three steps: initiation, elongation, and termination. The steps are illustrated in Figure below.

    1. Initiation is the beginning of transcription. It occurs when the enzyme RNA polymerase binds to a region of a gene called the promoter. This signals the DNA to unwind so the enzyme can ‘‘read’’ the bases in one of the DNA strands. The enzyme is now ready to make a strand of mRNA with a complementary sequence of bases.
    2. Elongation is the addition of nucleotides to the mRNA strand. RNA polymerase reads the unwound DNA strand and builds the mRNA molecule, using complementary base pairs. There is a brief time during this process when the newly formed RNA is bound to the unwound DNA. During this process, an adenine (A) in the DNA binds to an uracil (U) in the RNA.
    3. Termination is the ending of transcription, and occurs when RNA polymerase crosses a stop (termination) sequence in the gene. The mRNA strand is complete, and it detaches from DNA.

    4.5: Transcription of DNA to RNA (3)

    Steps of Transcription. Transcription occurs in the three steps - initiation, elongation, and termination - shown here.

    Processing mRNA

    In eukaryotes, the new mRNA is not yet ready for translation. It must go through additional processing before it leaves the nucleus. This may include splicing, editing, and polyadenylation. These processes modify the mRNA in various ways. Such modifications allow a single gene to be used to make more than one protein.

    • Splicing removes introns from mRNA (see Figure below). Introns are regions that do not code for proteins. The remaining mRNA consists only of regions that do code for proteins, which are called exons. You can watch a video showing splicing in more detail at this link:http://vcell.ndsu.edu/animations/mrnasplicing/movie-flash.htm. Ribonucleoproteins are nucleoproteins that contains RNA. Small nuclear ribonuclearproteins are involved in pre-mRNA splicing.
    • Editing changes some of the nucleotides in mRNA. For example, the human protein called APOB, which helps transport lipids in the blood, has two different forms because of editing. One form is smaller than the other because editing adds a premature stop signal in the mRNA.
    • Polyadenylation adds a “tail” to the mRNA. The tail consists of a string of As (adenine bases). It signals the end of mRNA. It is also involved in exporting mRNA from the nucleus. In addition, the tail protects mRNA from enzymes that might break it down.

    4.5: Transcription of DNA to RNA (4)

    Splicing. Splicing removes introns from mRNA. UTR is an untranslated region of the mRNA.

    Summary

    • Transcription is the DNA → RNA part of the central dogma of molecular biology.
    • Transcription occurs in the nucleus.
    • During transcription, a copy of mRNA is made that is complementary to a strand of DNA. In eukaryotes, mRNA may be modified before it leaves the nucleus.

    Explore More

    Explore More I

    Use this resource to answer the questions that follow.

    1. What is transcription?
    2. Describe the three stages of transcription.
    3. What is a transcription factor?
    4. What is a promoter?

    Explore More II

    • What is a Gene? at learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/dna/

    Review

    1. What is protein synthesis?
    2. What enzyme is involved in transcription?
    3. Describe transcription.
    4. Describe splicing. Distinguish introns from exons.
    5. How may mRNA be modified before it leaves the nucleus?
    4.5: Transcription of DNA to RNA (2024)

    FAQs

    4.5: Transcription of DNA to RNA? ›

    Transcription takes place in the nucleus. It uses DNA as a template to make an RNA molecule. RNA then leaves the nucleus and goes to a ribosome in the cytoplasm, where translation occurs. Translation reads the genetic code in mRNA and makes a protein.

    What is transcription from DNA to RNA? ›

    Transcription is the process by which the information in a strand of DNA is copied into a new molecule of messenger RNA (mRNA).

    How much DNA is transcribed into RNA? ›

    Recent evidence has suggested that more than 90% of the human genome is transcribed into RNA.

    Is transcription 5 to 3 or 3 to 5? ›

    Although RNA polymerase traverses the template strand from 3' → 5', the coding (non-template) strand and newly formed RNA can also be used as reference points, so transcription can be described as occurring 5' → 3'.

    What are the 4 steps of transcription RNA? ›

    Transcription is the name given to the process in which DNA is copied to make a complementary strand of RNA. RNA then undergoes translation to make proteins. The major steps of transcription are initiation, promoter clearance, elongation, and termination.

    What is the translation of DNA to RNA? ›

    The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology DNA makes RNA makes proteins. The process by which DNA is copied to RNA is called transcription, and that by which RNA is used to produce proteins is called translation.

    How do you transcribe from DNA to mRNA? ›

    During transcription, the DNA of a gene serves as a template for complementary base-pairing, and an enzyme called RNA polymerase II catalyzes the formation of a pre-mRNA molecule, which is then processed to form mature mRNA (Figure 1).

    How to convert DNA to RNA? ›

    All of the RNA in a cell is made by DNA transcription, a process that has certain similarities to the process of DNA replication discussed in Chapter 5. Transcription begins with the opening and unwinding of a small portion of the DNA double helix to expose the bases on each DNA strand.

    What is the rule for DNA to RNA? ›

    In DNA, adenine always pairs with thymine (A-T), and guanine always pairs with cytosine (G-C). RNA is the same, except that adenine always pairs with uracil (A-U).

    What is the end result of transcription? ›

    The end product of transcription is an RNA transcript. This could be any form of RNA such as mRNA (messenger RNA), rRNA (ribosomal RNA), tRNA (transfer RNA), or non-coding RNA. Prokaryotes form a polycistronic mRNA whereas eukaryotes form a monocistronic mRNA. Transcription is catalyzed by the enzyme RNA polymerase.

    Is RNA always read 5 to 3? ›

    By convention, single strands of DNA and RNA sequences are written in a 5′-to-3′ direction except as needed to illustrate the pattern of base pairing.

    Is RNA always transcribed in the 5 to 3 direction? ›

    The main enzyme involved in transcription is RNA polymerase, which uses a single-stranded DNA template to synthesize a complementary strand of RNA. Specifically, RNA polymerase builds an RNA strand in the 5' to 3' direction, adding each new nucleotide to the 3' end of the strand.

    Does mRNA go from 5 to 3? ›

    All mRNAs are read in the 5´ to 3´ direction, and polypeptide chains are synthesized from the amino to the carboxy terminus. Each amino acid is specified by three bases (a codon) in the mRNA, according to a nearly universal genetic code.

    What is the sequence of RNA transcript from DNA? ›

    The RNA nucleotide sequence is complementary to that of DNA template strand except the presence of uracil in place of thymine. As we know that adenine base pairs with thymine and guanine with cytosine; the RNA sequence of given DNA strand would be UACGGAUCCUG.

    What is the transcription of RNA? ›

    Transcription, as related to genomics, is the process of making an RNA copy of a gene's DNA sequence. This copy, called messenger RNA (mRNA), carries the gene's protein information encoded in DNA.

    What happens in transcription? ›

    During transcription, a piece of DNA that codes for a specific gene is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA) in the nucleus of the cell. The mRNA then carries the genetic information from the DNA to the cytoplasm, where translation occurs.

    What is the transcription job? ›

    A transcriber is a professional who creates written copy of either video or audio content. Also called transcriptionists, transcribers convert recorded or live human speech into text. Transcribers create copy that follows the conventions of written language, such as grammar rules, and the standards of their industry.

    What is the difference between translation and transcription? ›

    Transcribing and translating both involve converting information from one format into a slightly different one. Transcription takes audio information and converts it to a written format. Translation takes information in a particular language and converts it to one or more additional languages.

    What are the steps of RNA replication? ›

    - RNA replication requires a DNA template for replication it does not replicate on its own. - RNA relocation just like DNA replication occurs in three stages that include initiation, elongation, and termination. Note: The RNAs are basically of three types depending upon the expression of the gene and their coding.

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