Transcription

Question 1

What is transcription? (simple def)

Answer 1

The copying of the genetic code

Question 2

Where does transcription occur? (eukaryotes)

Answer 2

In genes in the nucleus

Question 3

What is transcription later used for?

Answer 3

After copying the genetic code (usually in the form of a strand of mRNA), it is then used to produce proteins (in translation)

Question 4

What is the main transcription enzyme?

Answer 4

RNA polymerase

Question 5

What does RNA polymerase do?

Answer 5

Transcribes (copies) genetic code by ‘walking’ down a strand of DNA and adding complementary nucleotides to a growing strand of mRNA

Question 6

What direction does RNA polymerase transcribe from?

Answer 6

RNA polymerase builds the new RNA strand in the 5’ to 3’ direction (back to front, to the left to the left)

It can only add RNA nucleotides to the 3’ end of the strand (the back of the strand, remember they go in opposite ways)

Question 6

What is a promoter?

Answer 6

A promoter is a region of DNA which tells RNA polymerase where to start transcribing DNA

Question 7

What are transcription factors?

Answer 7

Transcription factors are enzymes or ‘helper proteins’ which bind to the promoter first to help RNA polymerase bind to the DNA