Transcription
Definition
Transcription is the process by which genetic information encoded in DNA is copied onto messenger RNA. This mRNA then carries this information out into the cell for protein production.
Analogy
If you think about transcription like making a photocopy at school – your original document is like your unchangeable master copy (DNA). You don't want to risk losing or damaging it, so you make a copy (mRNA) that you can take out and use.
Related terms
Translation: The process where the genetic code in mRNA is read to make a protein.
Promoter: A DNA segment that signals the start of a gene and controls its transcription.
RNA Polymerase: An enzyme that produces RNA by following a strand of DNA.
"Transcription" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (7)
What is the site of transcription in eukaryotic cells?
Transcription uses enzymes to create __ from DNA.
Transcription occurs in the __ of the cell.
Where do transcription and translation take place in prokaryotes?
When tryptophan levels are high, the trp operon is repressed and transcription halts. This is __.
Which molecules can initiate (start) transcription?
What protein functions as an inhibitor and prevents RNA polymerase from binding to the promotor, therefore stopping transcription?
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