I'm having trouble understanding what transcription is, I was wondering if you could help me?

First off, I would like to ask what you can tell me that you know about transcription and if there are any specific areas which you are having problems with. Please also stop me if there are any specific bits which you don't get.So, transcription is the process which takes place in the nucleus of 'reading' the DNA code and then producing a single stranded piece of messenger RNA (mRNA). This mRNA is then used to encode proteins on the ribosomes of the cell (a process called translation). The double stranded DNA is 'unzipped' by an enzyme called helicase, which breaks the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs, exposing the bases on each strand of the DNA. One strand, called the sense strand acts as a template for the formation of a new piece of mRNA. An enzyme called RNA polymerase binds, and starts to move along the sense strand, attaching new nucleotides which are complementary to those in the sense strand. A complementary piece of mRNA is then formed, by assembling the sugar phosphate backbone of the new starnd of mRNA.

Answered by George G. Biology tutor

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