8.3 - Protein Synthesis: Transcription Flashcards
The process of transcription A comparison of transcription in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
What is transcription?
Creating an mRNA copy of a gene from DNA
Where does transcription take place in eukaryotic cells?
Nucleus
What enzyme begins transcription?
RNA polymerase
What happens when RNA polymerase binds to DNA?
Hydrogen bonds break (unzipping of the strand)
Which DNA strand acts as the template for mRNA synthesis?
Antisense strand
How do free RNA nucleotides align with the DNA template?
Complementary base pairing
What base pairs with adenine in RNA?
Uracil
What enzyme catalyses the formation of phosphodiester bonds?
RNA polymerase
What is formed during transcription?
Complementary mRNA strand
When does transcription end?
RNA polymerase reaches a stop codon
What happens to mRNA and DNA after transcription?
mRNA released
What is the difference between transcription in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?
mRNA is spliced in eukaryotes but not in prokaryotes
What is pre-mRNA?
Initial mRNA transcript in eukaryotes (before it goes through splicing)
What happens during RNA splicing?
Introns are removed
What does mature mRNA consist of?
Exon sequences
Where does mature mRNA travel for translation?
Cytoplasm